Rinda proclaimed offender in Bastara toll plaza case

Chandigarh, January 13

Special Judge Sudhir Parmar of the NIA Court in Panchkula has declared Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, as a proclaimed offender in the May 2022 Bastara toll plaza (Karnal) case where three IEDs and arms and ammunition were seized.

Recently, the Punjab Police had stated in a press conference that the report on Rinda’s death in Pakistan due to drug overdose wasn’t confirmed. The court on January 11 directed the NIA to furnish the list of properties, movable or immovable, owned by Rinda for attachment.

On October 31, the NIA had filed a chargesheet against the accused in the Bastara case. Three IEDs, one pistol with two magazines, 31 rounds, and Rs 1.30 lakh cash were allegedly recovered from Ferozepur residents Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, Amandeep Singh, alias Deepa, and Parminder Singh, alias Pinder, and Ludhiana resident Bhupinder Singh on May 5, 2022, from the Bastara toll plaza in Karnal.

As per the NIA, during the investigation it was revealed that the explosives were sent by Rinda from Pakistan.

Rinda was also named the mastermind of the RPG attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in SAS Nagar last year. He is wanted by police forces of several states. Meanwhile, the NIA has moved an application for providing security to four witnesses in the case.