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By Manjeet Sehgal: A day after Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh was arrested in Punjab’s Moga, it is believed that Jasbir Singh Rode, the former chief of Akal Takht and the nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, purportedly paved the way for Amritpal’s arrest.
Sources said that Jasbir, after getting the information that Amritpal was planning to surrender at Rodewal gurdwara, had secretly shared the information with the police.
According to sources, Amritpal had a plan to surrender before the police in the presence of his supporters in Rode village, the place where his turban tying ceremony was held in September last year.
Sources added that Jasbir was informed by Amritpal that he wanted to surrender at the Moga gurdwara. He also secretly informed the Punjab Police about Amritpal’s presence at the religious place.
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The police officials were believed to have told Jasbir that arresting Amritpal in a crowd might result in an Ajnala-like incident.
Accordingly, Jasbir was believed to have asked Amritpal to reach the gurdwara by the night of April 22. However, he told mediapersons that it was not him but Amritpal who had personally called the police.
“Amritpal Singh came to the gurdwara on Saturday night. He himself informed the police about his plan to surrender,” Jasbir said.
He also said that Amritpal had prepared his own kit, changed the dress (chola), put the slippers on his feet and and went to Sant Khalsa gurdwara in Rode village.
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“I may be guilty in the worldly court, but not in the court of almighty,” Amritpal said before he came out of the gurdwara to let police arrest him on April 23. He was shifted to Assam’s Dibrugarh jail, where eight of his aides, including Papalpreet Singh, are already being held under the National Security Act.
PAPALPREET SINGH’S ARREST WAS MAJOR SETBACK
Amritpal’s aide Papalpreet Singh’s arrest on April 10 came as a major setback to the ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief as the former not only arranged stays, food and money during the escape but also acted as his advisor. His arrest rendered Amritpal helpless.
The supporters also turned away following last month’s police crackdown on Amritpal and members of the outfit.
The Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) may have appeared concerned about the families but did not support Amritpal openly.
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Akal Takht chief Giani Harpreet Singh had even advised him to surrender before the police. The demand to hold a Sarbat Khalsa was also turned down.
POLICE ACTION AGAINST WIFE PROMPTED AMRITPAL TO SURRENDER
Amritpal’s wife Kirandeep Kaur, a British national, was held for questioning at the Amritsar airport while she was trying to flee to London on April 20.
The police had kept all the family members under surveillance. Fearing police harassment, Amritpal decided to surrender before the police.
Amritpal was very possessive about Kirandeep and did not let her come out of the home even after marrying her on February 10.
Kirandeep wanted to leave the country but was not allowed to board the London flight by the agencies, who quizzed her for nearly three hours. This compelled Amritpal to surrender.
The family members, including father Tarsem Singh and mother Balwinder Kaur, however, said that Amritpal never contacted them during the last 35 days when he was being chased by the police.
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