SC refuses to entertain Amritpal Singh's plea challenging his detention

Amritpal Singh. File pic

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) Member of Parliament (MP) from Punjab's Khadoor Sahib, Amritpal Singh, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) since April 2023, news agency ANI reported.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria, while declining to admit the petition, granted Singh the liberty to approach the jurisdictional high court seeking similar relief.

SC also requested the high court to decide Singh's plea within six weeks, considering his prolonged detention, ANI reported.

"We are requesting the High Court to dispose of it (Amritpal's plea) expeditiously, preferably within six weeks," the apex court observed.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Singh, submitted that the Waris Punjab De leader has been under detention for more than three years and urged SC to hear the matter given the extended period of custody under NSA, ANI reported.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the Central government, contended that six weeks may not be sufficient for the high court to hear and decide the matter, as both sides would need time to file their responses.

However, the apex court bench maintained that habeas corpus petitions involving detention must be handled with urgency.

"In habeas corpus and detention matters, time is of the essence," the Court remarked.

Accordingly, the top court permitted Singh to move the high court for appropriate relief.

Singh is currently lodged in Dibrugarh Jail in Assam, where he was shifted following his arrest on April 23 two years ago under NSA.

Before returning to Punjab in 2022 following the death of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu, Singh lived in Dubai. Upon his return, he took over as the head of Sidhu's pro-Khalistan organisation, Waris Punjab De. He was arrested from Rode village in Moga after leading a protest at the Ajnala Police Station on February 23, 2023, where his supporters clashed with police in an attempt to free one of his aides held for making inflammatory pro-Khalistan statements.

His detention has since been extended twice - first in April 2024 and again in April 2025. Following the latest extension, Singh approached the apex court challenging his continued detention.

(With ANI inputs)