On the run with fugitive Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh since March 18, his close aide Papalpreet Singh, who was arrested from Punjab on Monday, has given details of how they managed to escape the police for so long.
A top source in Punjab Police said, “Papalpreet said they went to Haryana, Patiala, Delhi and Pilibhit and back to Haryana and Punjab. He confessed to arranging for all hideouts. He said they used to travel by cars and buses or take lifts."
“Balbir Kaur in Patiala and Baljit Kaur in Shahbad who helped the duo were also personal contacts of Papalpreet," said the source, adding, “Even Kulwinder Kaur in Delhi was known to Papalpreet. The duo was also in touch with a Sikh preacher, Joga Singh, in Pilibhit."
According to Papalpreet, they were running to “escape police torture". “He said at one stage, they wanted to surrender," said the source. “Papalpreet has accepted that all videos and pictures in public domain belong to them," the source said.
WHERE IS AMRITPAL?
Papalpreet has told investigators that he doesn’t have contact details of Amritpal Singh, said the source.
“According to him, Amritpal is in Punjab. They separated after the raids last week," the source said, adding, “He said he is ready to cooperate fully."
Addressing the media, Punjab Police Inspector General (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said, “He (Papalpreet) is the main associate of Amritpal Singh. He has been arrested from Kathunangal area in Amritsar. Papalpreet has been detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) and six other cases have also been registered against him."
Papalpreet is considered to be Amritpal’s mentor and has allegedly been in contact with Pakistan’s ISI. Gill said further legal action will be taken against Papalpreet.
CCTV FOOTAGE FROM DERA
The arrest comes days after a CCTV footage made the rounds on social media in which Papalpreet could be seen at a ‘dera’ (place for religious congregation) in a village in Hoshiarpur.
The footage is said to be of March 29, a day after a team of the counter intelligence wing chased an Innova car from Phagwara to Hoshiarpur after the police suspected that the fugitive and his aides could be in that vehicle. The ‘dera’, seen in the footage, is in Tanauli village, which is located just two to three kilometers away from Marnaian village in Hoshiarpur, where the police had launched a massive search operation in search of the suspects.
It is believed that both Papalpreet and Amritpal could have separated in Hoshiarpur, following the police chase of their vehicle. Many pictures of the duo had surfaced on social media. In one such footage, both of them were seen wearing masks while roaming around a street in Delhi. A picture of them looking relaxed and Amritpal holding a beverage can was also seen.
Amritpal and his associates have been booked under several criminal cases related to spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.
With PTI Inputs
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