Punjab MP Amritpal Singh gets one-day parole to attend grandmother's funeral

Punjab MP and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, who is held at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam, was granted one-day custody parole on Friday to attend his grandmother's funeral.

His grandmother, Charan Kaur, 84, died on Sunday after a prolonged illness. Singh's family had sought four days of parole, from November 14 to 17, but the court granted the Khadoor Sahib MP parole for one day.

Kaur's body have been kept at the family's native village, Jallupur Khera, in Amritsar. The family had postponed the funeral, saying it would wait for Singh to attend the cremation, news agency PTI reported.

Singh's lawyer Karamvir Singh said that the MP wanted to be present for his grandmother's funeral. His arrival in Amritsar would depend on how quickly the formalities for his temporary release were completed, the lawyer said.

The district court had earlier allowed Singh to speak to his grandmother through a 10-minute video call from Dibrugarh Central Jail. However, the call could not be arranged as Kaur was in a critical condition, his lawyers said.

Singh is in jail in connection with the 2023 attack on the Ajnala police station. He was arrested at Rode village in Moga in April 2023, after a manhunt lasting more than a month.

Punjab Police launched the crackdown after the February 2023, Ajnala incident. Singh and his supporters, some allegedly carrying swords and guns, broke through barricades, entered a police station on the outskirts of Amritsar and clashed with the police while seeking the release of his aides.

Singh contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate and won the Khadoor Sahib seat. He will be temporarily released for one day to attend his grandmother's funeral, subject to the completion of the required formalities.- Ends