NIA arrests Punjab resident in Delhi for alleged bid to revive Sikh militancy
The accused, identified as Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, has been living in Cyprus since 2017
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested a Punjab resident at Delhi airport on his arrival from Cyprus for allegedly “hatching a criminal conspiracy to revive Sikh militancy for ultimate aim of formation of a separate state of Khalistan.”
The accused, identified as Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, has been living in Cyprus since 2017. The NIA had registered a case in January 2019 under various Sections of the Arms Act and the anti-terror Unawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
“Investigation has revealed that the absconding accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar was the main conspirator of this case. Accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, Harpal Singh and Moin Khan were active on social media platforms and hatched a criminal conspiracy to revive Sikh militancy for ultimate aim of formation of a separate state of Khalistan,” the NIA said in a statement.
The NIA said the accused used to post videos and images containing praises of militant Jagtar Singh Hawara (convicted for the assassination of Beant Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab), Operation Blue Star of 1984 and pro-Khalistani posts related to proscribed organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) with the “sole intention to motivate like-minded Sikh youths and others to join the Khalistan movement.”
The NIA said Khan came in contact with Jagtar Singh Hawara when he was lodged in Tihar Jail from 2013-2016. Khan allegedly showed his willingness to work for Hawara and shared his contact number with him. “Subsequently, as planned, accused Moin Khan sent friend request to Facebook ID, Khalistani Jindabad Khalistan, from his Facebook account. By joining this Facebook account, Moin Khan came in contact with Harpal Singh and Gurjeet Singh Nijjar. Accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar motivated Moin Khan by discussing about atrocities committed against the Muslims and Sikhs in India and convinced him to work for separate Khalistan state. In furtherance of conspiracy, accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar directed Moin Khan to purchase a pistol and ammunition in 2018 to carry out their nefarious designs,” the NIA said.
On May 23, 2019 the NIA filed a charge sheet in the NIA Special Court against the wanted to be accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, Harpal Singh, Moin Khan and Sundar Lal Parashar.
During the investigation, it was revealed that wanted accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, a resident of Ajnala in Amritsar, was in Cyprus and a Look-Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him. On Tuesday, Gurjeet Singh Nijjar was detained at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and was arrested by the NIA.
The NIA press release on Nijjar’s arrest stated, “Investigation has revealed that the absconding accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar was the main conspirator of this case. Accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, Harpal Singh and Moin Khan were active on social media platforms and hatched a criminal conspiracy to revive Sikh militancy for the ultimate aim of formation of a separate state of Khalistan. As part of the conspiracy of separate Khalistan state, accused Gurjeet Singh Najjar, accused Harpal Singh and accused Moin Khan used to post videos and images containing praises of militant Jagtar Singh Hawara, a convicted accused in the assassination of Beant Singh, former chief minister of Punjab, images and videos of Operation Blue Star of 1984 and pro-Khalistani posts related to proscribed organisation Babbar Khalsa International, with the sole intention to motivate like-minded Sikh youths and others to join the Khalistan movement.”
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