A week after the release of Sikh political prisoner Bhai Hardeep Singh, the state government today ordered the release of another Sikh prisoner Bhai Baaz Singh. He has been languishing in Amritsar Central Jail since 1997.
Though the jail authorities have received the orders of his release, but he has not been freed as certain formalities were yet to be completed, confirmed RK Sharma, Superintendent Jail.
Few people will have heard of Baaz Singh, a man who has been robbed of his youth and left a ‘bag of bones’ by the hardships of prison life. In 1993, the police registered a number of false cases against Baaz Singh and sent him to Amritsar Central Jail. Within months, Ropar Police also took custody of Baaz Singh; trying to frame him in yet another case. Baaz Singh’s family were left distraught when Ropar Police sent an untrue message to them, saying he had escaped from their custody and died when he fell into a river.
Baaz Singh, a native of Amritsar, belonged to the Khalistan Commando Force. He was arrested by the Punjab Police in 1997 and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was booked under TADA, besides other relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder and attempt to murder.
In 2000, Baaz Singh was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Faridkot Court and has remained in Amritsar Central Jail for over 20 years.
Sharma said Baaj Singh has completed over 16 years of imprisonment and his case was forwarded to the state government for premature release on his good conduct in jail.
He said Baaj would be released in the next couple of days after completing the formalities and furnishing the bonds. Kanwarpal Singh Bittu of Dal Khalsa said that he had recently met Baaj Singh in jail. He was very weak and could not walk properly.