Chandigarh, Mar 28 (IANS): Punjab Police was close to arresting fugitive Khalistani radical Amritpal Singh, the state's Advocate General informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday.

The high court was hearing a petition seeking his release, by a man who claimed that Amritpal Singh was in "illegal" custody in Jalandhar.

The Advocate General clarified that Amritpal Singh was not arrested and the police was trying its best to arrest him.

"Punjab is passing through a sensitive stage and national security is involved. As such, the arguments addressed should be limited to the contentions raised in the habeas corpus petition," he said.

After hearing counsel for both the parties, Justice N.S. Shekhawat asked the petitioner's counsel to show evidence that Amritpal Singh was in illegal custody of the police.

He said the state's categorical stand was that Amritpal Singh had not been arrested.

Amritpal Singh has been evading arrest, changing his location and looks multiple times, since March 18 when the police launched a massive crackdown to arrest him.

A new video of Amritpal Singh with his aide Papalpreet Singh has surfaced, purportedly showing Amritpal Singh walking in a street in Delhi without a turban and wearing a mask.