NIA files chargesheet in two target killings

MOHALI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on Monday, filed a common charge-sheet against 15 accused in the targeted killings of pastor Sultan Masih and Hindu leader Amit Sharma in 2017. Next hearing is on May 22.

Masih was shot dead outside a church on July 15, 2017 in Peerubanda Mohalla area in Ludhiana; Sharma, the district publicity manager of Shri Hindu Takht, was gunned down near Shri Durga Mata Mandir on January 14, 2017 in Ludhiana. The 1,500page chargesheet was filed in a special NIA court in Mohali, against Hardeep Singh alias Shera Pahalwan, Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian, Dharminder Singh alias Gugni, Anil Kumar alias Kala, Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi, Amaninder Singh, Manpreet Singh alias Mani, Ravipal, Pahad Singh, Parvez alias Farru, Malook Tomar, Harmeet Singh alias PhD, Gurjant Singh, Gursharanbir Singh and Gurjinder Shastri.

Four accused, Harmeet (suspected to be in Pakistan), Gurjant (Australia), Gursharanbir (UK) and Gurjinder (Italy), have been declared proclaimed offenders. NIA says they are the mastermind behind the targeted killings and had recruited and trained Hardeep Singh (Shera), a resident of Italy, and Ramandeep Singh of Ludhiana. One of the accused, KLF chief Harminder Mintoo, died of cardiac arrest in April. Investigation pointed out that conspiracy was hatched to destabilise communal harmony.