Badal seeks clemency for Bhullar,the man his govt called a ‘terrorist’ and ‘criminal’

The HC had passed the order on the basis of petitions filed by Bhullar,who was in Tihar Jail,and a retired IAS officer whose son,B S Multani,was the third person killed in the alleged fake encounter.

“It is submitted that the state is extremely concerned over this turn of events in which decorated officers of the police force,who had been instrumental in the fight against terrorism being successful,are now at the receiving end of criminal investigation,that too by a specialised procedure devised by the hon’ble High Court. Balwant Singh Multani is a proclaimed offender in several cases and terrorist Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar has been awarded death sentence for killing security personnel in an assassination attempt on M S Bitta,the then president,All India Youth Congress,at Delhi,” said the affidavit filed by the Badal government.

“Such hardcore and experienced criminals,who have a well-organised international support base,are likely to misuse such orders to attempt victimisation of dedicated police officers,which is a matter of concern to the petitioner,” it added.

The affidavit also referred to the charges for which Bhullar was awarded death sentence. Following the state government’s appeal,the apex court had set aside the HC order.

“This exposes the double standards of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son,Sukhbir Singh Badal. If they are so worried about Bhullar’s death sentence,they should also be worried about the injustice that he alleges was done to his family in light of the fact that nobody has been punished for the alleged fake encounter. Why doesn’t the Chief Minister go back and order a CBI investigation into the matter or allow a fair probe into their disappearance?” said Punjab Congress spokesperson and former MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira today.

Bhullar,of the Khalistan Liberation Force,was sentenced to death for triggering a bomb blast in Delhi in 1993 which killed nine people and injured 25,including Bitta. His mercy plea has been rejected by the President.