Chandigarh: In a significant legal development, Jagtar Singh Tara, who has been serving a life sentence in connection with other criminal cases, received a major reprieve after a local court acquitted him in a 2009 case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.
The verdict was delivered by Additional District and Sessions Judge Rajiv Kumar Beri, who ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish charges against Tara beyond reasonable doubt. The case, filed at Bhagatpur police station, had invoked Sections 17, 18, and 20 of the UAPA along with provisions of the Arms Act.
Tara, currently lodged in Burail Jail, appeared before the court through video conferencing. His counsel, Advocate S.K.S. Hundal, represented him during the proceedings and confirmed his client’s acquittal following the court’s decision.
According to sources, the charges stemmed from allegations linking Tara to unlawful activities over a decade ago. However, after years of legal proceedings, the court found insufficient evidence to support the prosecution’s claims.
Advocate Hundal, speaking to reporters after the hearing, said that the decision reaffirmed the principle that every accused deserves fair trial and justice based on evidence, not presumption.
This ruling marks a rare legal victory for Tara, who has been behind bars for his role in other high-profile cases. Legal experts note that the acquittal could influence the course of pending appeals and related proceedings against him in the future.
