NIA chargesheets 8 Khalistani terrorist for killing Comrade Sandhu in Tarn Taran

New Delhi: The anti-terror probe agency NIA on Tuesday said it has filed a charge sheet against eight terrorists (accused persons) of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for their involvement in the killing of the Shaurya Chakra awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu, in Tarn Taran on October 16 last year.

Officials in the agency said the charge sheet has been filed under various sections of sections 120B, 201, 212 and 302 of IPC, Sections 25(1B) and 27 of Arms Act and Sections 16, 17, 18, 18B, 20, 23, 38, 39 and 40 of UA (P) Act before NIA Special Court at Mohali in Punjab.

Those who have been named in the charge sheet, include Sukhraj Singh alias Sukha of Gurdaspur, Ravinder Singh of Hussainpura, Ludhiana, Akashdeep Arora alias Dhaliwal of Salem Tabri, Ludhiana, Jagroop Singh of Basti Jodhewal, Ludhiana, Sukhdeep Singh alias Bhura of Kharal, Gurdaspur, Gurjit Singh alias Bhaa of Lakhanpal, Gurdaspur, Inderjit Singh of Rashiana, Tarn Taran, and Sukhmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh of Bikhariwal, Gurdaspur.

According to NIA officials the investigations in the case revealed that killing of Sandhu was executed with the intent to strike terror in the minds of people of India and especially those opposed to Khalistani ideology.

“The transnational conspiracy in the instant crime was hatched by Pakistan based self styled chief of KLF Lakhvir Singh Rode and top foreign based KLF terrorists, who provided arms and ammunitions and funds to the accused persons,” the NIA has alleged in the charge sheet.

It further said, it has also been unearthed that a well-oiled “Terrorist-Narcotics-Criminal nexus” existed wherein narcotic drugs along with weapons were smuggled by Pakistan based entities from across the International Border in Punjab for generation of funds for executing terrorist acts.

NIA had earlier investigated eight similar incidents of targeted killings/attempted killings by KLF between January 2016 and October 2017, wherein seven persons belonging to specific communities were killed, the agency said in the charge sheet. 

“Investigation has established that foreign based KLF leadership had recruited, financed and armed a local gangster Sukh Bikhariwal and tasked him to execute the killings through his associates. After the reported killing of Harmeet Singh alias Happy alias PHD, Pak based operational chief of KLF in Pakistan in Jan 2020, Sukh Bikhariwal was directed by Lakhvir Singh Rode and other KLF operatives through encrypted communication platforms to kill Comrade Sandhu,” it said.

“The reconnaissance of the target was carried by charge sheeted accused Inderjeet Singh and sharp shooters Gurjit Singh and Sukhdeep Singh, who were recruited for killing Comrade Sandhu. The other charge sheeted accused are associates of Sukh Bikhariwal, who were instrumental in organising logistics and shelter to the shooters,” the NIA alleged. (UNI)