Daduwal detained minutes after his release

* Police cites ‘threat to peace’; kin allege conspiracy; his supporters protest outside Faridkot prison

Faridkot,The police today took controversial religious leader Baljit Singh Daduwal into preventive custody minutes after he was released on being granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Daduwal was detained as soon as he stepped out of the Faridkot Central Jail around 6 pm. The police claimed “he was an imminent threat to peace”.

A member of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (ad hoc), Daduwal was arrested on August 22 for his alleged involvement in two criminal cases relating to possession of illegal firearms.

As Daduwal was to be released today, a large number of his supporters had started gathering outside the jail premises since early morning to receive him.

Amid heavy deployment of police, Daduwal’s supporters and family members were kept at a distance of 200 metres from the main jail building. He was released around 6 pm but as he stepped out of the jail, the police against took him into custody.

As the main entrance to the jail was blocked by Daduwal’s supporters, the police kept him in preventive custody in a residential flat on the jail premises for the next 40 minutes.

The police then produced him before duty magistrate Harjit Singh Sidhu. Daduwal was booked under Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The police claimed he was an “imminent danger to the peace or likelihood of breach of peace under Section 107 of the CrPC”.

At the time of filing this report, the duty magistrate said the police were preparing reports under Sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC for the preventive arrest of Daduwal.

Sources in the police said the duty magistrate sent Daduwal in judicial custody till October 16 as he failed to furnish bail bonds.

Gurmeet Singh, Daduwal’s father-in-law, alleged the police enacted a high drama to stall his release from the jail. “We were apprehensive of Daduwal being arrested in another case after his release. This was the reason why a heavy posse of police was deployed around the jail so that none of his supporters can have an access to him at the time of his release,” he said.

“The main aim behind keeping Daduwal in preventive custody till October 16 is to stop him from campaigning against the Akali Dal candidate from Mandi Kallianwali seat in the Haryana Assembly elections,” he said. The elections will be held on October 15.

Daduwal, the native village of Baljit Singh, is part of the Kallianwali constituency. Gurmeet claimed his son-in-law had said that he would campaign against the SAD candidate after his release from jail.

It’s sad poll strategy: kin

“The main aim behind keeping Daduwal in preventive custody till October 16 is to stop him from campaigning against the Akali Dal candidate from Mandi Kallianwali seat in the Haryana Assembly elections. the police enacted a high drama to stall his release from the jail”

Gurmeet Singh, Daduwal’s father-in-law

Had got bail from HC

Religious leader Baljit Singh Daduwal was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court
He was arrested on August 22 for his alleged involvement in two criminal cases relating to possession of illegal firearms
Daduwal was taken into preventive custody immediately after he stepped out of the Faridkot Central Jail around 6 pm
The police booked him under Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code