Police still backing probe by NIA into targeted killings
Police have arrested 5 men of ‘ISIbacked module’
CHANDIGARH:Even after claiming to have solved the cases of targeted killings of right wing leaders in the state, the Punjab government still wants the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to go ahead with its probe in one of the cases, that of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) local leader Ravinder Gosain’s murder in Ludhiana last month.
The probe into Gosain’s killing was handed over to NIA by the state after the RSS top brass raised this demand before chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Punjab police have last week nabbed five persons accused of killing people under a conspiracy to spread communal violence.
“Though we have solved the cases and Gosain’s murderers are also the same men who killed the others, we still want the NIA to go deeper into the case. The NIA has expertise in dealing with inter-country terror issues, thus it would be in the interest of the nation if the central agency investigates the case further as perpetrators of these killings are in other countries, including Italy, UK, USA, Germany and Canada,” director general of police (DGP), Punjab, Suresh Arora told HT.
The DGP also wrote to the NIA on November 15, giving details of fresh findings, including the alleged role of Pakistan’s ISI and Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and requested to continue with the case. It was the reason why the NIA on Thursday issued a notification about formally taking over Gosain’s killing. A team of 11 NIA officers on Friday reached the office of Ludhiana police commissioner RN Dhoke and got details. The team will visit the home and family on Saturday.
‘HAVE ALL EVIDENCE’
On a campaign run by some activists in the UK against the arrest of one of the accused, Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi, in which claims are being made that Jaggi is “innocent” and being “tortured”, Arora again said the police have “all the evidence to establish his involvement”. “Moreover, now when the NIA will probe the case, investigation done by Punjab Police will also remain under check,” he added.
Punjab last week have claimed to busted a terror module behind these killings and arrested four persons, including Jammu resident Jimmy Singh when he landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, upon returning from the UK. Jaggi, who is also a UK resident, was nabbed from Rama Mandi in Jalandhar district. He had landed in India on October 4 for his marriage.
Two alleged shooters — Hardeep Singh Shera and Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian — were arrested from Fatehgarh Sahib and Jalandhar, respectively. A gangster Dharmender Guggni lodged in Nabha jail has also been made accused.
SHERA’S REMAND EXTENDED
Meanwhile, a court in Baghapurana, Moga, on Friday sent three of the accused, including Johal, to judicial custody till November 30, while police remand for “hitman” Shera was extended by a day. The two others sent to judicial remand are KLF chief Harminder Singh Mintoo and Guggni. Later, Ludhiana police brought Johal on production warrant from the Faridkot jail for questioning in killing of Christian pastor Sultan Masih.
All the four men, booked in a case registered in December 2016 under the Arms Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act at Baghapurana, were produced in the court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate Pushpinder Singh amid heavy police force.
In this case, the police had recovered a pistol concealed under a tree in Budh Singh Wala village in Baghapurana. The pistol was used allegedly in a murder by Tirlok Singh, who was arrested by the Bajakhana police.
From thereon, the police claimed to have unravelled the cases of targeted killings too.
Now, two alleged hitmen including Ramandeep are being interrogated by the Baghapurana police. Both will be produced in the court on Saturday. Claiming that Shera has admitted to have concealed two pistols in Ludhiana, the Baghapurana police sought five days’ remand.
Also in Ludhiana, another accsued Jimmy was produced before a court and the police got a day’s further remand.
DAL KHALSA HEAD MEETS JOHAL
Radical Sikh group Dal Khalsa’s head, Harpal Singh Cheema, met Johal alias Jaggi and other accused in the court premises of Baghapurana on Friday. Cheema, talking with media, said that for the first time “the government itself has admitted that these killings were political in nature”.
“The arrested persons had no personal enmity with the killed persons. Unfortunately, the government has always portrayed the political struggle of Sikhs as a law and order problem and that has led to the loss of lives on both sides,” he said. He added, “Until New Delhi finds a political solution to Punjab conflict, the cycle of violence may not end in this region.”
Also, Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, Johal’s advocate said their request to the court to form a team of doctors to conduct the medical examination of Jaggi — as the police have allegedly tortured him — was dismissed. The court said a medical test was already done.