NIA files chargesheet against alleged Khalistani militants in Mumbai special court

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 24

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed chargesheet in a Mumbai special court against three people arrested in connection with trying to revive the Khalistani militancy.

In a statement, the NIA said on Friday: “The chargesheet has been filed in the Special NIA Court, Mumbai against arrested and wanted accused persons namely Harpal Singh alias Happy, Mohiuddin Siddiqui alias Moin Khan and Gurjeet Singh Nijjar under different sections of IPC, the Arms Act and UAPA”.

UAPA stands for Unlawfal Activities Prevention Act. Another suspect, Sunder Lal Parashar, was arrested for providing them with illegal arms and ammunition.

NIA said Harpal Singh, Siddiqui and Gurjeet Singh Nijjar had entered into “a criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist act for the formation of separate Khalistan State” and “have been making attempt to revive Sikh militancy”.  The agency’s charge sheet is based on an FIR registered by Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad at Kalachowki Police Station in Mumbai.

Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad found illegal weapons and five live rounds with Harpal Singh when he was arrested. 

“During investigation, Mohiuddin Siddiqui son of Munna Khan, a wanted accused, was arrested on December 24, 2018.  The case was subsequently taken over by NIA for investigation,” the agency said.

The NIA said that the three suspects “used to post videos and images containing praises of militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Jagtar Singh Hawara (a convicted accused in assassination of Beant Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab), images & videos of Operation Blue Star of 1984, Pro-Khalistani post related to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) with sole intention to motivate vulnerable Sikh youths and others to join the Khalistan movement in India with the ultimate objective of separate Khalistan State”.

NIA arrested Sunder Lal Parashar, a resident of New Delhi, in April for having illegally supplied a country made pistol to Moin Khan, who later sold it to Harpal Singh. This was the weapon that police later found with Harpal Singh.  

“Investigation also revealed that a wanted accused Gurjeet Singh (Nijjar), a native of Village  Pandori Sukha Singh of Ajnala in Amritsar Rural district and presently residing in Cyprus is the main conspirator of this case and operating with his accomplices from Cyprus through Facebook, WhatsApp & IMO,” the NIA said in the statement.