Malkit Singh ‘Shera’ who died in Amritsar Prison due to negligence by prison and state authorities has left questions about other prisoners who are falsely framed.
The family members of Malkit Singh, aka Shera, who died in judicial custody, today said they would approach a court seeking action against the Amritsar Central Jail authorities for “failing” to provide proper medication to him which ultimately took his life.
Malkit Singh Shera was 28yr old Sikh youth who was arrested for alleged connection with a bomb blast that occurred in Pandori Gola village in Tarn Taran in September 2019. He died while in judicial custody at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital on 5th October.
Ravinderjit Singh elder brother is Shera told me that Malkit had hole in his heart and was an acute diabetic patient as well. Singh told me that Punjab and High Court had directed the jail authorities for provide him treatment at the PGI, Chandigarh, after forming a board in December 2020 but nothing was done.
Ravinderjit says that none of the political parties assisted the family. As per Singh he approached Akali Dal as well Congress. Singh says that everyone treated Malkit as a terrorist and we tried to convince everyone that he is framed falsely.
Sikh legal assistance board represented Malkit Singh in the case. The legal board also continued to support his medical needs. As per Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur and the family, Shera was in Amritsar When blast took place and is not related to the blast. Manjhpur was successful in establishing that Shera possessed no phone but NIA court ruled completely opposite.
The Case & State’s negligence towards Malkit’s health
NIA court stamped sections 304, 153A, 120-B of IPC along with section 13, 16, 18, 20, 23 of UAPA (1967) and Sections 4, 5 of the Explosive substances act 1908. NIA in its case said that an explosion took place on 05/09/2019 in outskirts of village Pandori Gola, Taran Taran due to which Bikkar Singh, and Harpreet Singh died on the spot whereas Gurjant Singh sustained injuries. During the investigation NIA court said that Malkit Singh was in touch with all these people and was highly radicalised.
The Police could not prove any of their allegations on Malkit Singh. No connections with any of the organisations that Police mentioned were found out. The only material that made NIA court to keep Malkit in prison was the material found in his phone and laptop. The material included books on Sikh genocide and Sikh struggle for independence.
Malkit’s health started deteriorating in Prison because access to medicines was denied to him. He could not get proper check ups even though the court had called for providing him the treatment. The family then moved to SC in 2020. SC denied the bail to Malkit singh. A bench headed by Justice NV Ramana dismissed the plea saying it cannot grant bail to the accused.
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