2022 Haryana weapon seizure: NIA files supplementary chargesheet against 3 Babbar Khalsa International operatives

New Delhi, March 1

The NIA on Wednesday filed a supplementary chargesheet against three operatives of the banned Babbar Khalsa International in a case related to seizure of arms, ammunition and improvised explosive devices in Haryana last year, an official said.

The chargesheet against Akash alias ‘Akashdeep’, Sukhbir Singh alias ‘Jashan’ and Jarmalpreet was filed before a special court in Panchkula under sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act and the Explosives Substances Act, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case on May 24 last year from the Haryana Police and had filed its first chargesheet against six accused persons, including “designated terrorist” Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias ‘Rinda’, on October 31 last year.

Initially the case was registered at the Madhuban police station in Haryana, the spokesperson said.

The NIA said Sandhu, who had joined hands with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror group, was the mastermind behind smuggling of arms and explosives to carry out terror attacks in the country.

Three improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a pistol, two magazines, 31 rounds of ammunition and Rs 1.30 lakh were seized from Gurpreet Singh alias ‘Gopi’, Amandeep Singh alias ‘Deepa’, Parminder Singh alias ‘Pinder’ and Bhupinder Singh when they were on their way to Adilabad in Telangana to deliver the consignment on Sandhu’s directions. They were intercepted by police at the Bastara toll plaza.

The accused were travelling in a car that had been modified to keep the IEDs, pistol and ammunition in a specially designed cavity.

“Investigations into the case have revealed that Akash, Sukhbeer and Jarmalpreet were in touch with terrorist Rinda and are close associates of the persons arrested at the Bastara Toll Plaza. They had also retrieved the consignment of arms, ammunition and explosives sent by Rinda from across the border via drones,” the spokesperson said.