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Letter Ended Case Against Sikh Priest

R S Shankar

It was a short letter. But for that letter, many friends of Gurcharan Singh Bhatia wonder whether officials would have dropped the charges against him of carrying a concealed weapon.

The letter was addressed to the city prosecutor in Mentor, and was signed by Bhatia and Surinder Singh Chauhan, president of the Guru Govind Singh Sikh Society of Cleveland.

The society had championed Bhatia's cause since the day he was arrested in September for carrying a kirpan and was charged under Ohio state's concealed weapon law.

If prosecuted and found guilty, 69-year-old Bhatia could have been asked to pay a fine and serve a six-month sentence in a jail. There was also a fear that, while pending an appeal, a judge could have ordered him jailed and have had his hair cut as per jail regulations.

The letter requesting the city to dismiss the charges against Bhatia, explaining that the kirpan was a dull-edged ceremonial sword that baptized Sikhs are required to carry as one of the articles of their faith.

Bhatia was arrested on September 3 when his car accidentally backed into another. There was no damage done to the vehicles or passengers but when he got out of the car to apologize to the driver of the other car, a passenger in that car noticed a bulge in Bhatia's pocket and alerted the police.

Since the police came for a lot of criticism from the Sikh community, the letter sought to assure the city officials and prosecutions that Bhatia held no grudge against them. It said he "fully appreciates the legitimate safety concern of law enforcement officers."

Bhatia's case drew huge protests from Sikh communities across America and Canada, with several other Indian groups supporting his cause.

His friend said the letter was meant to mollify the officials. It was also released to the public in a Sikh Society press release.

"This case was a major embarrassment to the police and the city of Mentor," said a friend of Bhatia.

"We wanted them to save their face. This was an exit strategy."

It was -- for Bhatia too.

EARLIER REPORT:

Charges Against Sikh Priest Dropped

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