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Requests 90 Days Extension To Defend Charges Of Human
Rights Violation
Responding
to the US Court Summons, Parkash Singh Badal, CM State of Punjab through its
attorneys sought additional 90 days to defend the charges of commanding and
shielding the officers responsible for custodial torture and extra judicial
killings of Sikhs. On August 08, United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Wisconsin issued Summons against Badal who was in
Wisconsin on a private visit to attend the marriage ceremony of the business
tycoon Dhaliwal's daughter.
Badal has hired two top law firms, New York
based "Kirkland & Ellis LLP" and Milwaukee based "Michael Best and Friedrich
LLP", to defend him against the charges of continuous human rights
violations in the State of Punjab during his regime as the Chief Minister.
On August 30, representing Badal, attorney Michelle L. Jacobs submitted a
motion before the US court asking "to dismiss for failure to effectuate
service; or in the alternative for an additional 90 days to file a
responsive pleading".
Defending Badal attorney Jacobs in the
motion argued that "On information and belief, the defendant was not
personally served with Summons at Oak Creek High School, Wisconsin, and
service of Summons as claimed by plaintiffs is "invalid and procedurally
deficient". The motion further argues that "the importance of proper service
is paramount in this case because the plaintiffs' sole claim for
jurisdiction and venue against the defendant, a foreign citizen, is based on
plaintiffs' assertion that the defendant was present in the state of
Wisconsin within the territorial boundaries of this district at or around
the time of filing this complaint. The complaint alleges no other connection
to the State and Eastern District of Wisconsin."
According to attorney Gurpatwant Singh
Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), since the issuance of
summons against Badal, scores of Sikhs who have suffered torture and human
rights abuses during the Badal regime have come forward with proofs of
abuses and want to be part of the case against Badal before US Court. SFJ
will amend the complaint against Badal to add additional charges, plaintiffs
and witnesses who have suffered custodial abuses and torture, added attorney
Pannun.
Since the issuance of summons against Badal,
the family members of the plaintiffs Jagtar Singh, Jeet Singh, Gurdeep Kaur
and Avtar Singh are being frequented by the Punjab Police and threatened
with dire consequences. Citing the threats and continuous harassment by
Badal regime of the family members of plaintiffs back home, attorney Pannun
stated that such threats by Badal regime not only prove continued human
rights violations but also corroborate the charges of abuse in the past by
the Badal regime.
The lawsuit against Badal has been filed
under Alien Torts Claims Act and Torture Victims Protection Act on the
charges of custodial torture and shielding the Police officers responsible
for torture, extra judicial killings and continuous human rights violations
against the Sikh community in Punjab.