NIA team visits Tarn Taran, quizzes ‘second shooter’
TARN TARAN : A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday visited Tarn Taran and quizzed one of the accused arrested by Punjab Police in connection with the high-profile killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu.
The team is also expected to visit Sandhu’s home in Bhikhiwind town where two bikeborne men gunned him down in October last year.
The NIA had taken over the probe in Sandhu’s killing on Wednesday.
“Considering the gravity of the offence and its inter-state and international ramifications, the ministry of home affairs directed the NIA to take up the probe,” the NIA had said in an official statement.
During the initial investigation by Punjab Police, it was revealed that the killing was executed under a conspiracy hatched by Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode and his handlers in inter service intelligence (ISI), the NIA officials had said, adding that the killing was executed through Sukhmeet Pal Singh, alias Sukh Bhikariwal, resident of Bhikariwal village, in Gurdaspur.
Bhikariwal, who is facing several criminal cases, including the Nabha jailbreak, was
DURING THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION BY PUNJAB POLICE, IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE KILLING WAS EXECUTED UNDER A CONSPIRACY HATCHED BY PAKISTAN-BASED KHALISTANI TERRORIST
arrested on December 31 by the Delhi Police after he was deported from Dubai.
A senior Punjab Police official said the NIA team has been provided with the police investigation record.
The team remained at the office of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dhruman H Nimbale for a few hours.
Sources said the team also quizzed one of the accused, Inderjit Singh, arrested from Mumbai by Punjab Police on Thursday.
According to police, Inderjit was among the two men who had barged into Sandhu’s home when he was executed.
The second man is Gurjit Singh alias Bhura. Inderjit, according to police, was radicalized and had executed Sandhu at the behest of Bhikhariwal and one Sunny Canada.
The NIA team will also bring Bhikhariwal, along with other accused, on production warrant. Some of the accused have been lodged in Punjab jails while the others are in a Delhi jail.