‘Lawyers not being allowed to meet jailed Sikh leaders’

Punjab lawyers on Saturday criticised the Punjab government for not allowing the advocates to meet Sikh leaders, who have been booked on sedition charges and are currently lodged in various jails in complete violation of their fundamental human rights.

Addressing a press conference here, a group of lawyers, led by Amar Singh Chahal and Harpal Singh Cheema, said the advocates defending people against state repression, wrongful killings and false implications in criminal cases are not being allowed by the Punjab government to meet the accused in jails.

“It is unheard of that a person who has been arrested in a criminal case is not being allowed to meet his lawyer in the jail to prepare his defence,” said lawyers.

The lawyers claimed they have been denied permission to meet Sikh leaders Dhian Singh Mand, Mohkam Singh and Bhai Gurdeep Singh Bathinda who were arrested recently by Punjab Police on sedition charges. “I was also denied permission by officials when I went to meet Jagtar Singh Hawara in Tihar Jail on Friday in New Delhi. How can we prepare our defence, if we are not able to meet our own clients”, asked Cheema.