Portuguese court extends Pamma's detention

Jalandhar: Even as Punjab police submitted a formal request to the office of General Public Attorney of Portugal on January 25 in the ongoing proceedings for extradition of Paramjeet Singh Pamma, a UK-based Sikh activist accused of terror charges, a Portuguese court has extended his detention till February 15 awaiting decision of the minister of justice.
A Punjab police team led by deputy inspector general of police Balkar Singh Sidhu is camping in Portugal for the last few days to pursue Pamma's extradition in cases of murder of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat leader Rulda Singh in 2009 and bombings in Patiala and Ambala in 2010. Earlier, a Portuguese court in first week of January had extended Pamma's detention till January 26 on India's request for extension to submit evidence of terror-related charges.
"Pamma's extradition evidentiary documents are with Joana Marques Vidal, attorney general of Portugal, who will forward formal request in the coming days to minister of justice. January 26 order of Evora Court of Appeals has extended the detention of Pamma in Beja Prison till February 15 awaiting decision from the Minister of Justice," said Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun from Lisbon.
"Minister for justice has 20 days to decide whether extradition proceedings should continue before Evora high court or the evidence presented by Indian authorities is not sufficient to continue with extradition proceedings of Pamma," he said.
Pannun, who is in Portugal to coordinate legal challenge to Pamma's extradition, said, "Sikh community members have sent more than 20,000 email requests to the President of the National Assembly of Portugal Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues urging him to repatriate Paramjeet Singh to United Kingdom where he had been granted refugee status."
Pamma who has been living in UK on political asylum since 1999, was detained in Algarve on December 18 by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) of Portugal pursuant to an Interpol warrant issued by the Indian government.