E-Paper
Mohali: NIA grants bail to one of seven accused in extortion case
Special NIA court of Mohali on Thursday granted bail to one of the seven accused, Mohammad Asif Ali, 32, in an extortion case of Punjab businessmen, for not having a direct link with other accused
The Special National Investigating Agency (NIA) court of Mohali on Thursday granted bail to one of the seven accused, Mohammad Asif Ali, 32, in an extortion case of Punjab businessmen, for not having a direct link with other accused.
Special judge, NIA, Mohali, Karunesh Kumar while allowing the bail stated that Asif Ali, who has been in custody since July 10, 2021, has been simply charge-sheeted for the commission of offense under Section 120-B of the IPC and Section 25 (1-A) of the Arms Act. He has neither been charge-sheeted under the UA (P) Act nor any sanction under the UA (P) Act has been obtained against him. Therefore, the bar of Section 43 (D) (5) of UA (P) Act, 1967, is not attracted. Except for the alleged recovery of two weapons, nothing has been brought on record that he has any connection with any of his co-accused or supplied any arms to them. He is ordered to be released on bail on his furnishing personal bond of ₹1 lakh and submit his passport in court and would not leave the country.
The case dates back to May 22, 2021, when a case was registered against the accused in extortion of prominent businessmen of Punjab in a police station in Moga. However, later, the investigation of the case was transferred to the NIA.
Counsel for Asif Ali contended the claim of the NIA that during the custodial interrogation of co-accused Gagandeep Singh, the role of his client emerged, and a search was conducted at the house of the applicant/accused, where two country-made pistols were reportedly recovered. Even on perusal of the connectivity chart prepared in the report, the name of the present applicant does not figure anywhere to show his involvement or association with other co-accused and no useful purpose would be served by keeping his client in jail, who may be released on regular bail.
NIA public prosecutor averred that during the investigation, it has been revealed that the accused persons namely Arshdeep Singh, Charanjit Singh and Ramandeep Singh, had formed a gang and were threatening and extorting money from people and on the directions of accused Hardeep Singh Nijjer, chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, Punjab-based shooters from the gang targeted prominent persons of other faiths to create a sense of fear and disharmony in society.
