The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted a key accused in the Chandigarh Sector 10 grenade attack case, masterminded by foreign-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorists, an official statement issued on Saturday said.
Abhijot Singh, alias Babba, alias Gopi, a Punjab resident who was arrested in April this year for his involvement in the attack, was charged in the supplementary chargesheet filed before a special NIA court in Chandigarh on Friday, it said.
The attack, which targeted a retired Punjab Police officer, was part of a conspiracy to spread fear in society, the statement issued by the probe agency said.
The conspiracy was orchestrated by Pakistan-based BKI terrorist Harwinder Singh, alias Rinda, in collusion with US-based gangster Happy Passia, it said.
According to the NIA investigation, Passia was responsible for the recruitment and funding besides providing weapons and explosives to the India-based operatives.
Both Rinda and Passia were chargesheeted as absconders, along with two arrested accused, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, in March last year.
During the investigation, the NIA identified Abhijot as a co-conspirator in the case, leading to his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}During the investigation, the NIA identified Abhijot as a co-conspirator in the case, leading to his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}Investigations have revealed that Abhijot had travelled to Armenia in December 2023, where he came in contact with Passia’s terror node Shamsher Shera, the statement said.
Shera had recruited Abhijot into Passia’s terror gang.
Following his return to India mid-last year, Abhijot conducted a recce of the target in July 2024 and, along with Rohan, attempted to kill the retired officer in August 2024, the NIA said.
He had received funds from foreign-based BKI handlers for the job, it said.
Subsequently, in September 2024, Rohan and Vishal carried out the grenade attack, the probe agency said.
Police said the attack was targeted at retired superintendent of police Jaskirat Singh Chahal, who was the station house officer (SHO) in Nakodar in 1986, when four Sikh protesters were killed in police firing. Until two years ago before the September 11, 2024, attack, Chahal had been living on rent on the first floor of the Sector 10 house.
The house belongs to KK Malhotra, a retired principal of an institute in Himachal Pradesh.
The NIA is continuing with its efforts to trace other accused and accomplices involved in providing logistical support and terror hardware to the field operatives as part of the conspiracy, the statement said.