SAD to meet President Kovind, seek his intervention for release of 1993 bomb blast convict

A SAD delegation would meet President Ram Nath Kovind to seek immediate and effective personal intervention to secure the release of 1993 Delhi bomb last convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar.

Bhullar was convicted in connection with the killing of nine people and injuring of 31 in the blast. Among those who survived the attack are former Youth Congress chief M S Bitta.

Harcharan Singh Bains, principal advisor to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, on Monday said the party has sought time from the President to request his "immediate and effective intervention" to secure the release of Bhullar, he was quoted as saying in a party statement here.

On Sunday, former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal too had sought Bhullar's release in the larger interest of consolidating peace and communal harmony in Punjab.

In a statement issued here, Parkash Singh Badal had urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal not to allow a "communal bias or political or electoral opportunism to dictate his decision and refusal to grant immediate clearance for Bhullar's release".

Bhullar was awarded the death penalty by a designated TADA court in August 2001 but his capital punishment was commuted to life sentence by the Supreme Court in 2014.

The Centre in September 2019 had recommended special remission to eight Sikh prisoners, including Bhullar, to mark the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

It has been alleged by some Sikh bodies that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has not given its clearance for the release of Bhullar.

A few days ago, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had also accused the Delhi government of obstructing Bhullar's release.

Image: ANI/PTI