New Delhi June 18:
Germany’s Ambassador to India Thomas Matussek said Berlin would make an appeal to New Delhi against the execution of Devinderpal Singh, Khalistan Liberation Force chief.
“Our government will appeal to the Indian Government not to execute him. The EU representative, Catherine Ashton, has also written to the Home Ministry to spare him the death penalty.” He said his country in principal was against capital punishment and would continue to make this point to an international court but would not appeal on Bhullar's behalf.
Bhullar was deported to India after his appeal for political asylum in Germany was rejected. Two years ago, a court in Germany had said that Bhullar’s original plea was erroneously rejected. "The court in Germany erroneously extradited him. Had we known the full facts of this case, Bhullar would not have been sent back to India. I'm not at liberty to say what the Indian Government's response has been”, the Ambassador said.
Bhullar was sentenced to death in 2001 for a bomb attack on then Youth Congress President MS Bitta outside the YC office in New Delhi in 1993 that killed nine persons. President Pratibha Patil had last month rejected Bhullar’s mercy petition clearing the decks for his execution. Bhullar is facing another case for plotting an attack on Punjab IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini.
Both the Akali Dal, an alliance partner of the BJP, and the Punjab unit of the Congress have demanded that Bhullar’s death sentence be commuted.The SGPC and the DSGMC have opposed the death penalty. Both the Sikh bodies have promised to hire the best lawyers in the country to defend him. Bhullar, lodged in solitary confinement, is undergoing treatment at a Shahadra psychological treatment centre.
Germany’s Ambassador to India Thomas Matussek said Berlin would make an appeal to New Delhi against the execution of Devinderpal Singh, Khalistan Liberation Force chief.
“Our government will appeal to the Indian Government not to execute him. The EU representative, Catherine Ashton, has also written to the Home Ministry to spare him the death penalty.” He said his country in principal was against capital punishment and would continue to make this point to an international court but would not appeal on Bhullar's behalf.
Bhullar was deported to India after his appeal for political asylum in Germany was rejected. Two years ago, a court in Germany had said that Bhullar’s original plea was erroneously rejected. "The court in Germany erroneously extradited him. Had we known the full facts of this case, Bhullar would not have been sent back to India. I'm not at liberty to say what the Indian Government's response has been”, the Ambassador said.
Bhullar was sentenced to death in 2001 for a bomb attack on then Youth Congress President MS Bitta outside the YC office in New Delhi in 1993 that killed nine persons. President Pratibha Patil had last month rejected Bhullar’s mercy petition clearing the decks for his execution. Bhullar is facing another case for plotting an attack on Punjab IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini.
Both the Akali Dal, an alliance partner of the BJP, and the Punjab unit of the Congress have demanded that Bhullar’s death sentence be commuted.The SGPC and the DSGMC have opposed the death penalty. Both the Sikh bodies have promised to hire the best lawyers in the country to defend him. Bhullar, lodged in solitary confinement, is undergoing treatment at a Shahadra psychological treatment centre.
