Amritpal Singh's ISI links emerge as he 'plans' to take political plunge

Amritpal Singh Sandhu, the pro-Khalistan radical lodged in a detention centre in Assam's Dibrugarh, is back in the news after his family declared his candidature from the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Punjab. However, while being lodged in jail, Amritpal was in touch with Pakistan's spy agency ISI as part of a larger conspiracy to destabilise India, official documents accessed by India Today TV reveal.

Amritpal Singh has been lodged in Central Jail, Dibrugarh since April 2023 under the National Security Act. The Punjab government recently renewed Amritpal's NSA detention, citing his alleged involvement in illegal activities from jail, including communication with associates both within India and abroad.

According to security agencies, Amritpal Singh, chief of the radical outfit Waris Punjab De, has ties to the ISI.

Intelligence and detention reports of Amritpal accessed by India Today suggest that during his detention, Singh maintained close ties with ISI operatives, facilitating meetings between professionals associated with him and foreign-based pro-Khalistan elements. These interactions, allegedly arranged by the ISI, are viewed as part of a broader conspiracy to destabilise India following Singh's eventual release.

Furthermore, the documents indicate that individuals linked to Amritpal Singh have sought weaponry from ISI operatives in Pakistan, indicating a continued association between Amritpal and the Pakistani intelligence agency.

According to the report accessed by India Today TV, the government stated that there is an imminent danger that upon release from detention, Amritpal would indulge in activities prejudicial to the security and public order of the state.

Most indicting is the following excerpt from his detention papers: "(Amritpal) while in detention, was in contact with the ISI, the intelligence agency of Pakistan, which has been responsible for a large number of terrorist incidents in India to date. His involvement, along with his associates, with the ISI during his detention in Central Jail Dibrugarh has been through some professionals with whom he and his associate detainees have been in touch while under detention. At his behest, these professionals visited Pakistan during his present detention period to take directions from Pak-ISI. These professionals are closely associated with the other NSA detainees, and they have all been in continuous touch during the detention period."

"Intelligence inputs confirm that the visit of these professionals was arranged by the ISI to facilitate meetings with foreign-based pro-Khalistan elements in order to lay down a future roadmap to destabilise India after their release. The visits of these professionals, closely associated with Singh and his associates, to Pakistan, suggest their involvement in a Pakistan-backed conspiracy to create disturbances related to internal security in India after their release. Hence, there is an imminent danger that upon their release, they would engage in activities prejudicial to the security of the state and prejudicial to the maintenance of public order," the document states.

It is learned that in January 2024, some unknown followers of Amritpal Singh were in touch with ISI operatives, seeking weapons to take revenge for government actions against Singh and his associates.

In February, some unauthorised electronic devices were seized from Amritpal Singh and his associates within the jail premises, even as he was being provided with means of communication with his family and legal representatives.

"...(Amritpal) Singh's purported use of unauthorised gadgets to maintain external contacts reinforces apprehensions regarding his intentions upon release," the document reads.

AMRITPAL SINGH TO CONTEST ELECTION?

Amritpal Singh is all set to contest from Khadoor Sahib, one of the 13 constituencies in Punjab which will go to polls on June 1.

There is a debate within security circles whether a person like Amritpal Singh, against whom the NSA has been invoked, should be allowed to contest. The Representation of the People Act, 1951, bars individuals convicted of an offence and sentenced to two years or more in prison from holding membership in Parliament and state legislatures. However, the Act does not prohibit undertrials from participating in elections.

SP Vaid, former Director-General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, is categorically against Amritpal Singh contesting polls. "Amritpal is a mole of the ISI who has been trying to break India and he should not be allowed to come to political power. There is a rule which allows for such persons to contest polls. I believe the Election Commission must work out a mechanism to disallow such persons from contesting."

Speaking to India Today TV, former Punjab DGP Shashi Kant said, "Khadoor Sahib constituency has always been pro-radical. And it appears that there are people working for him (Amritpal)."

Kant, however, said that there won't be ramifications if Amritpal Singh contests polls.

"There may be the likes of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who may support him. The security agencies are likely to be worried because in police, we are trained to see a rock bottom situation as a possibility. There have been others like Simranjit Singh Mann who have won. But it won't have a larger impact."

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has maintained a stronghold on the Khadoor Sahib seat since 1992. However, the party witnessed a setback in the 2019 elections when Congress candidate Jasbir Singh Dimpa emerged victorious.

In this election, the SAD (B) has put forward former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoga as its candidate from the seat. The Congress has nominated Kulbir Singh Zira, also a former MLA, as its candidate.