NIA court frames charges against 3 BKI operatives

A designated National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali on Tuesday framed charges against three Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives who were arrested for disturbing communal harmony in the state.

The court of Karunesh Kumar, special judge CBI, also designated as a special judge, NIA, framed charges against Ravinderpal Singh, alias Ravi, of Moga, Jagdev Singh, alias Sonu, of Fatehgarh Sahib, and Harcharan Singh of Delhi, while discharged Nishan Singh, alias Punia, as the investigating agency failed to file challan against him. The court will begin the trial in the case on April 9.

The court declared Kulwinderjit Singh, alias Khanpuriya, who is now in Malaysia and mastermind in the case, as a proclaimed offender (PO) in February this year.

Ravinderpal and Jagdev were arrested in May last year for planning a terror strike in Punjab. Later, Punia and Harcharan were arrested from Amritsar district.

In November last year, the NIA filed a challan against Ravinderpal, Jagdev, and Harcharan saying that the accused were planning to target places/persons to destabilise law and order situation in Punjab and to revive terrorism in the state.

NIA had said that Khanpuriya and his associates raised funds and arranged arms and ammunition for terror strikes. Photos and videos of reconnaissance done by the accused have also been recovered from their electronic devices.

A case under the Arms Act, Explosive Substances (Amendment) Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was registered against Khanpuriya, Ravinderpal and Jagdev at the state special operations cell police station, Amritsar, on May 30, 2019.