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Delhi court grants bail to UK resident in Indian High Commission attack case

A Delhi court has granted bail to Inderpal Singh Gaba, a resident of Hounslow, West London, in connection with a case related to the alleged attack on the Indian High Commission in London in March 2023. The National Investigation Agency...
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A Delhi court has granted bail to Inderpal Singh Gaba, a resident of Hounslow, West London, in connection with a case related to the alleged attack on the Indian High Commission in London in March 2023.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had accused Gaba of participating in a protest on March 22, 2023, claiming it was linked to the violent attack on the High Commission three days earlier. However, the court ruled that Gaba’s involvement appeared to be limited to the later demonstration.

In an order dated January 29, Principal District and Sessions Judge Vimal Kumar Yadav stated the NIA had failed to establish Gaba’s involvement in the violence of March 19, 2023. “The NIA is unable to establish any link of the applicant with the incident of March 19, 2023. He was neither present at the spot nor associated with arranging anything for the demonstration,” the court said. It noted no evidence had been provided to show Gaba was part of the conspiracy to organise either the March 19 attack or the March 22 demonstration.

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The NIA had argued both incidents were orchestrated by the same group aiming to influence the crackdown on “Waris Punjab De” and its leader, Amritpal Singh. However, the judge found no direct connection between Gaba and the March 19 attack.

The court also observed even if the allegations about the March 22 protest were accepted as true, they did not constitute offences carrying life imprisonment or the death penalty. “He is a young man with clean antecedents and nothing objectionable could be brought on record,” the judge said, adding that Gaba’s involvement in the March 19 violence could not be established.

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The judge noted the trial had not yet commenced and was expected to take a long time, questioning whether it was appropriate to keep someone in custody under such allegations.

During the proceedings, the NIA presented a photograph from Gaba’s phone, allegedly showing him posing with an AK-47 rifle, suggesting he had extremist tendencies. However, the court dismissed this argument, citing the prevalence of “deepfake” technology and photo manipulation. “It cannot be certain what has been shown is correct,” the court stated, noting no actual weapon had been seized and the authenticity of the firearm in the image could not be verified.

Gaba was detained by immigration authorities at the Attari border on December 9, 2023, while entering India from London via Pakistan. He was later arrested on 25 April 2024 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act and sections of the Indian Penal Code.

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