Weapons Charge Against Sikh Priest Dropped

Dec 6, 1999

Charges against a Sikh priest who was arrested in a suburb of Cleveland while on his way home from a religious ceremony were dropped today. Gurbachan S. Bhatia had been involved in a minor traffic accident and while investigating the mishap, a policeman discovered his kirpan - a symbolic, dulled “knife” sheathed beneath his jacket - which is one of the five symbols of his faith he is required to wear. Mr. Bhatia was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon.

Carrying a concealed weapon is an offense punishable by six months imprisonment and a monetary fine in Ohio.

The Becket Fund assisted in Mr. Bhatia’s defense.

Kevin J. Hasson, President and General Counsel of the Becket Fund, noted that “The Sikh faith and the symbols Mr. Bhatia is required to wear may seem exotic to some. They include uncut hair, a hair comb, a bracelet, and a special garment in addition to the kirpan. But their meaning is rooted in a centuries-old religion. The kirpan is not a weapon but merely one of the five reminders of a Sikh’s beliefs.”

Hasson applauded the court for dropping the case. “Mr. Bhatia should not have been prosecuted in the first place for wearing what amounts to a ceremonial butter knife. Fortunately, the judge’s ability to distinguish between a dangerous weapon and a religious symbol has preserved Mr. Bhatia’s religious liberty,” Hasson concluded.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a bipartisan and interfaith public interest law firm that protects the free expression of all religious traditions.