[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 113 (Monday, July 29, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1393-E1394]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1393]]


   NEW REPORT PROVES CHARGES AGAINST AMERICAN HELD IN INDIA ARE FALSE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PHILIP M. CRANE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 29, 1996

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, a report issued earlier this month by the 
Human Rights Wing--Shiromani Akali Dal--proves that the charges filed 
against Balbir Singh Dhillon are false. Mr. Dhillon is the 43-year-old 
American citizen who was arrested about a month ago while visiting Sikh 
temples and his family village in Punjab, Khalistan. I am inserting a 
copy of the Human Rights Wing report into the Record.
  In the report, the Human Rights Wing states:

       The HRW investigation team is satisfied that Balbir Singh 
     is innocent and all charges against him should be dropped 
     immediately. He should be allowed to return to his country. 
     The HRW is satisfied that the Punjab Police wants to keep the 
     spectre of Sikh militancy alive so that it can continue to 
     enjoy the extraconstitutional powers vested with it.

  According to the report, a police party led by the local chief 
visited Mr. Dhillon's native village of Salala on May 17 and inquired 
about Balbir Singh Dhillon. He had recently returned from a visit to 
Gudwaras in Pakistan. On May 18 Mr. Dhillion went to the police station 
with his father and the local MLA, state legislator, and the police 
chief told him that there were no charges against him and he should go 
home. The chief also denied having visited Salala. On May 20 Mr. 
Dhillion was arrested and charged with carrying RDX explosives and 
plotting to kill Sikh political leaders. He was forced to sign blank 
papers. He was not allowed to talk to his family.
  The political leaders Mr. Dhillon was charged with plotting to 
assassinate are affiliated with the Akali Dal, the largest Sikh 
political party. The Human Rights Wing is also affiliated with the 
Akali Dal. The Human Rights Wing is also the organization of Jaswat 
Singh Khalra, who was kidnapped by the Punjab police on September 6. 
His whereabouts remain unknown.
  These actions prove that even under the new regime, India is not the 
democracy that it claims to be, but an authoritarian police state 
described by Indian Journalist Rajinder Puri of the Times of India as 
``a rotten, corrupt, repressive, and anti-people system.'' The recent 
report from India's Central Bureau of Investigation confirming the mass 
cremations of Sikh in Punjab, Khalistan supports this also. This policy 
was described by the Indian Supreme Court as worse than a genocide.
  The United States cannot allow this to happen to an American citizen. 
I call upon Secretary of State Christopher and Ambassador Frank Wisner 
to intervene with the Indian regime to see to it that Mr. Dhillon is 
released immediately. If India is not willing to release him, then we 
should impose tough sanctions on this tyrannical regime. America cannot 
stand idly by while an American citizen has his rights violated on the 
basis of trumped-up accusations. We must do everything to secure 
freedom for this American citizen as soon as possible so that Balbir 
Singh Dhillon can return to his wife and children.

                     Arrest of Balbir Singh Dhillon

       The Panjab Police issued a press release to the newspapers 
     on 22nd May, 1996, about the arrest of Mr. Balbir Singh 
     Dhillon. Mr. Dinkar Gupta SSP Jalandhar, claimed that Mr. 
     Balbir Singh a U.S. Citizen, who was visiting India, was 
     apprehended at a Police `Naka' near his native village 
     Salala, on the outskirts of Jalandhar. Mr. Balbir Singh was 
     allegedly carrying one kilo of black RDX in his car. Family 
     sources and friends of Mr. Balbir Singh refuted the police 
     version, and approached the Human Rights Wing to investigate 
     the matter. A 3 member team of the Human Rights Wing 
     consisting of Mr. Harshinder Singh (Advocate), Mr. Amrik 
     Singh and Mr. Jaspal Singh, visited Jalandhar, and apart from 
     Mr. Balbir Singh, also met, other persons concerned with this 
     case. The report is as follows:
       Mr. Balbir Singh Dhillon, aged 44 years, married, father of 
     two, immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1980. Mr. Dhillon is 
     engineer by profession. He is an active member of youth of 
     America, and is the treasurer of the organization. Youth of 
     America is one of the representative organisation of the 
     Sikhs in the U.S.A. It is a democratic and peaceful 
     organisation, advocates the creation of Khalistan, and every 
     year organises rallies and demonstrations before the Indian 
     Embassy and U.N. Headquarters during the operation ``Blue 
     Star'' week and visits by Indian dignitries.
       Mr. Balbir Singh and his father Mr. Dilbagh Singh arrived 
     in India on the 4th of April '96, to visit their relatives, 
     friends and their native village. On 8th April, '96, Mr. 
     Balbir Singh joined the Sikh pilgrims going to Pakistan to 
     visit the historical gurudwaras on the occassion of Baisakhi. 
     The ``Jatha'' of pilgrims returned to India on the 18th 
     April, 96.
       On 22nd April, 96 Balbir Singh went off to visit other 
     historical gurudwaras in India, Nanded (Maharashtra) and in 
     U.P. etc., he also used this opportunity to visit tourist 
     sites. Mr. Balbir Singh returned home on the 16th May, 96.
       On 17th May, 96 a police party headed by DSP Rajinder Singh 
     (Jalandhar) and SHO Bhogpur visited village Salala and made 
     enquires about Mr. Balbir Singh from the villagers. On 
     learning about these enquiries being made Mr. Balbir Singh, 
     his father Mr. Dilbagh Singh accompanied by Mr. Amarjeet 
     Singh Samra, MLA (Nakodar) went to DSP Rajinder Singh's 
     Office on 18th May, 96. D.S.P. Rajinder Singh told them that 
     there was nothing against Mr. Balbir Singh and he should not 
     worry at all and should go home, however to be doubly sure he 
     would check with the department and Mr. Balbir Singh should 
     check with him, again, the next day. The D.S.P. completely 
     denied having visited Salala village and making any 
     enquiries. On 19th May, 96 about 5:30 p.m. Mr. Balbir Singh 
     drove down to the DSP's office in his car to meet the D.S.P. 
     He was asked to wait outside, Mr. Balbir Singh sat in his 
     car. At about 7:30 p.m. the D.S.P. came out and asked Mr. 
     Balbir Singh to accompany him. They drove down to the SSP Mr. 
     Dinkar Gupta's office in the police jeep. While Mr. Balbir 
     Singh was made to wait outside, DSP Rajinder Singh met with 
     the SSP for half an hour. Emerging from the SSP's office DSP 
     Rajinder Singh asked Mr. Balbir Singh to come with him. They 
     drove down to the Sadar Police Station within the city where 
     Mr. Balbir Singh was told that he was being arrested. He was 
     not informed of the charges against him. The time was about 
     9:00 p.m. Mr. Balbir Singh managed to have a telephone 
     message sent to advocate Hardayal Singh, a relative, at 
     village Garha. At about 11:00 p.m. advocate Hardayal Singh 
     and Mr. Puran Singh came to the Sadar Police Station and met 
     Balbir Singh. They left after assuring them that they would 
     return in the morning. They were back at 6:00 a.m. on 20th 
     May, 96 and arranged for some tea etc. for Balbir Singh, as 
     no senior officers would be available at this early hour they 
     left promising to come back around 9:00 a.m., they were 
     informed that Balbir Singh had been shifted to the C.I.A. 
     staff office for interrogation.
       At the C.I.A. staff he was interrogated by D.S.F. Rajinder 
     Singh and several other officers whom he was unable to 
     identify. He was asked to provide information about any 
     militants he knew, or help in recovering arms and also about 
     the motive of his visit to Pakistan. Balbir Singh denied any 
     contact or knowledge about militants. He also told them that 
     if he had any covert intentions for visiting Pakistan he 
     would not have gone so openly nor returned to India. During 
     his interrogation Balbir Singh was man handled and beaten. He 
     was forced to make a written statement that he was allowed to 
     return home on the 19th May, 96 night after being questioned. 
     He was also forced to append his signature on some blank 
     papers by DSP Rajinder Singh. He was then handed over to the 
     Adampur Police Station, and charged with carrying one kilo of 
     black RDX in his car, and booked under section 3/4 official 
     secret Act 1923. (Provide information of defense and other 
     vital information to Pakistan) 4/5 Explosives Act (RDX) 25/
     54/59 Arm Act and 120-B I.P.C.
       While in Jalandhar, Balbir Singh met Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode 
     former Jathedar of the Akal Thakt, and handed over some 
     clothes sent by his relatives in the USA. Bhai Jasbir Singh 
     Rode told the HRW team that the Jalandhar Police questioned 
     him about his meeting with Balbir Singh. Bhai Jasbir Singh 
     admitted that Balbir Singh had come to meet him but do not 
     know him from before. Balbir Singh has also asked Bhai Jasbir 
     Singh to introduce and arrange meetings with Bhai Manjit 
     Singh and Mr. Simranjeet Singh Mann. He told Balbir Singh 
     that it would not be possible to meet these leaders as they 
     were busy with the Lok Sabha election results just out.
       From the time of his interrogation at the C.I.A. staff till 
     his production before the duty magistrate at Jalandhar on 
     21st May, 96. Balbir Singh was not allowed to meet any 
     relative or lawyer, nor informed about the reasons of his 
     arrest or charges leveled against him. The magistrate 
     remanded Balbir Singh to Police Custody till May 22nd '96. On 
     22nd May '96 when he was again produced in court Balbir Singh 
     was able to meet his father and relatives. The police remand

[[Page E1394]]

     was extended 'til 26th May '96. On 26th May 96 Balbir Singh 
     was sent to Jalandhar jail under judicial custody. A UNI date 
     lined story from Jalandhr of 25th May 96, quoting police 
     interrogation reports that Balbir Singh was part of a larger 
     militant conspiracy to indulge in disruptive activity and 
     also to eliminate moderate Akali leaders.
       The HRW investigation team is satisfied that Balbir Singh 
     is innocent and all charges against him be dropped 
     immediately. He should be allowed to return to his country.
       The HRW is satisfied that the Panjab Police wants to keep 
     the spectre of Sikh militancy alive so that it can continue 
     to enjoy the extra constitutional powers vested with it.
       The Police force also would like the community to stay 
     divided, and so. The continuous uncovering of plots, of 
     militants out to assassinate Akali Leaders. For a rallying 
     together of all sections of Sikhs is seen as a development 
     that would culminate in a drastic reduction of extra 
     constitutional powers.
     Harshinder Singh
       Advocate
     Amrik Singh
       Vice Chairman
     J.S. Dhillon
       Chairman

                          ____________________