Badal seeks release of terror convicts

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has written to heads of other states, seeking premature release of 13 terror convicts, including those convicted of the assassination of former chief minister Beant Singh. The letter has put the Union Home Ministry in a fix as Shiromani Akali Dal is an NDA ally. The Home Minister is examining the demand.

Badal wrote to the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat, and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and Administrator of Chandigarh, seeking premature release of the 13 convicts jailed in various terror-related cases.
Badal sought the release of Lakhwinder Singh, Shamsher Singh, Gurmeet Singh, who are serving life sentence in connection with killing of Beant Singh, among others, sources said. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is also believed to have written a letter to the Union Home Ministry seeking their premature release.

Among the 10 others, whose release has been sought by Badal are Lal Singh Akalgarh, who is in Nabha jail (Punjab), Waryam Singh, who is in Bareilly jail, Gurdeep Singh Khaira, who is in a Gulbarga jail, Gurmeet Singh Fauji, who is in a Rajasthan jail, Daya Singh, who is Delhi’s Tihar jail, Paramjeet Singh Bheora and Jagtar Singh Hawara, both lodged in Tihar jail and Subeg Singh and Nand Singh, who are in Burail jail in Chandigarh, sources said.