NIA files chargesheet in pastor, RSS leader’s killings

Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 14

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed chargesheet against 15 persons for murdering pastor Sultan Masih and Hindu leader Amit Sharma in a special NIA court here on Monday.

In the chargesheet, the NIA named Hardeep Singh, alias Shera, alias Pahalwan, Ramandeep Singh, alias Canadian, alias Bagga, Dharminder Singh, alias Guguni, Parvez, alias Farru, Malook Tomar, Harmeet Singh, alias PhD, Gurjant Singh, Gursharanbir Singh, Anil Kumar, alias Kala, Ravipal, Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi, Amaninder Singh, Manpreet Singh, alias Mani Pahad Singh, and Gurjinder Singh Shastri.

According to the NIA, four accused are already based in different locations abroad. They are Gursharanbir, a British national; Gurjinder Singh, a resident of Brescia in Italy; Harmeet, who is an ISI-backed pro-Khalistan activist operating from Lahore in Pakistan; and Gurjant, another pro-Khalistan UK-based terrorist in Australia. All of them have already been declared proclaimed offenders (POs).

The investigating agency sought discharge of Taljit Singh alias Jimmy, claiming that no evidence had emerged against him during the investigation. The NIA had earlier also sought discharge of all charges against Jimmy in its chargesheet in the Ravinder Gosain murder case. That chargesheet was filed on May 4.

Amit Sharma and Masih were shot dead in Ludhiana last year. Sharma was shot dead near Shri Durga Mata Mandir on January 14 while Masih was gunned down on July 15 outside a church in Peerubanda Mohalla, Ludhiana.

All the accused were booked under Sections 302, 379, 416 and 120 B of IPC and under relevant Sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and Arms Act.

The next hearings in the case will be held on May 21, 22 and 23.