Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by Amritpal Singh challenging his continued detention under the National Security Act (NSA), ruling that the preventive detention order was not open to judicial interference.
A Bench led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu observed that the detention order was “clear as daylight” and beyond the scope of judicial review. With this observation, the court rejected the plea contesting the legality of the third detention order issued in April last year.
In his petition, Amritpal Singh argued that his prolonged detention since April 2023 was unjustified and violated constitutional safeguards, including the right to life and personal liberty. He maintained that there was no substantive material to support his continued confinement and described the action as arbitrary.
The plea further highlighted his involvement in social initiatives prior to his arrest, including anti-drug campaigns and youth outreach programmes conducted through his organisation, Waris Punjab De. According to the petition, his public speeches centred on Sikh values, cultural identity, and constitutional rights, rather than promoting violence or separatism.
Singh also contended that preventive detention could not be justified solely on the basis of pending criminal cases, especially when such cases were already being heard in courts. He pointed out that the latest detention order relied heavily on a 2024 FIR in which his name was allegedly added later, claiming there was no evidence directly linking him to the incident.
The State, however, defended the detention, citing serious security concerns. Representing the government, senior counsel argued that the decision was based on the alleged existence of a “hit list” and Singh’s purported links with individuals associated with criminal and extremist activities.
According to the State’s submission, the nature of the threat and the petitioner’s alleged connections justified continued preventive detention under the NSA framework.
After considering arguments from both sides, the court upheld the government’s position, effectively allowing Singh’s detention to continue.
