2 BKI activists held; Pak notes, 15 passports seized

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 4

The Nawanshahr police have arrested two persons allegedly linked to the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and recovered 15 passports, a pistol, six live cartridges and Pakistani currency from their possession.

The police today presented them in court, which remanded them in three-day police custody. The SP (D), Nawanshahr, Wazir Singh, said the Balachaur police had lodged an FIR against four persons under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on February 7. Two of them were absconding and now arrested.

He said last evening the police arrested two proclaimed offenders (Pos) in the case. Jaspreet Singh was apprehended from Rurki Muglan village and a .32-bore pistol and cartridges recovered from him. Second PO Mohammad Shariff, a UP-based cloth dealer, was arrested from Delhi and Rs 15,000 Pakistani currency and 15 passports of traders dealing in Pakistan were seized from him.

Three months ago, the case was lodged against BKI activist Arvinder Singh and three others on the basis of the statement of Gurdeep Singh, an accused under the NDPS Act. Gurdeep Singh had said Arvinder had called him on WhatsApp asking him to join him for the sake of Panth to avenge sacrilege incident at Bicchhoria village. Gurdeep had reportedly said Arvinder had assured him support in the form of cash and weapons. Gurdeep had stated that he had received Rs 1.8 lakh from a Delhi-based person and brought weapons with it.

Arvinder (29) is one of the three BKI activists who were convicted by a Nawanshahr court “for possession of literature to incite the Khalistan movement” three months back.