NIA set to take over probe into grenade blast at Punjab BJP leader Kalia’s residence
The sleuths of federal agencies are already camping in Jalandhar city and have held a series of meetings with the senior officials of Jalandhar police
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over the probe into a hand grenade attack at the residence of Punjab BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia from Punjab Police.
The sleuths of federal agencies are already camping in Jalandhar city and have held a series of meetings with the senior officials of Jalandhar police.
The teams also visited Kalia’s residence, where a hand grenade was lobbed on April 7, shattering glass panes and damaging vehicles. No one was injured in the blast.
Jalandhar commissioner of police Dhanpreet Kaur Randhawa said: “We also came to know that the NIA will be taking over the case but there is no formal communication yet.”
The CP added: “Once we receive an official communiqué, we will follow the due process to hand over the case files and findings in the case that have come to the fore during our investigation.”
It has been learnt that the NIA sleuths have quizzed the three accused arrested in the case. The cops have arrested three persons including the main accused Saidul Ameen, who lobbed the hand grenade at Kalia’s residence have been arrested in the case.
Two other accused Ravinder alias Harry and his cousin Satish, owner of the e-rickshaw used in the crime are also in police custody.
The main accused Ameen was arrested by Punjab Police in a joint coordinated operation with Delhi Police and central agencies on April 12 and is in Jalandhar police custody for seven days. His remand will end on April 19. Two other accused Satish and Harry are also in police custody and will produced in court on Saturday.
One of the senior officials, who didn’t wish to be named, said the NIA has been in touch with the Punjab Police investigation after the role of terror outfits and gangster nexus came to the fore during the course of the investigation.
“The federal agency has been on the ground gathering key information from the senior officials and visiting the crime spot, which is a standard operating procedure (SOP) before taking over any investigation. We have already been coordinating with NIA and other central agencies with regard to the probe,” the official said.
Probe so far
Preliminary probe by Punjab police has revealed a larger conspiracy orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence to disrupt communal harmony in Punjab. The police have claimed that the plot was masterminded by Zeeshan Akhtar, a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Pakistan-based ISI-sponsored gangster Shahzad Bhatti. The role of Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) is also being probed.
The ongoing probe has also revealed the financial link to the executors of the grenade attack. The role of the Haryana-based accused identified as Abhijot, who was arrested by the Haryana Police on April 11 after an exchange of fire in Kurukshetra, is also being probed.
“During the investigation, it came to fore that Abhijot provided financial logistics to the main accused Ameen, who paid ₹3,500 to Satish and Harry before hurling a grenade at Kalia’s residence,” the police have claimed.
The Jalandhar police have already added Section 113 (terrorist act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the already registered FIR. The initial FIR was registered under Sections 109 (attempt to murder), 324(3) (mischief causing damage to the property) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the BNS and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.
Punjab has witnessed multiple grenade attacks in the past seven months. In most cases, police installations have been targeted.