Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh’s brother-in-law Amarjot Singh has been named as the primary accused in the March 23 attack on the Indian High Commission in Canada, National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials familiar with the matter said on Friday.
A mob of Khalistan supporters had attacked the Indian High Commission in Ottawa during which two grenades were hurled at the building in March.
The federal agency has also identified eight Khalistan supporters, including Baba Sarvan Singh, for attacking and damaging the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, the officials said.
NIA took over both the cases from the Delhi Police last week to investigate a larger conspiracy and Pakistan’s link in the attacks on the Indian High Commissions and consulates, in addition to its ongoing probe into a similar attack in London on March 19.
According to the NIA first information report (FIR), Amarjot Singh led a mob of pro-Khalistan protesters, “who raised anti-India slogans, tied Khalistani flags on the boundary wall of the high commission and hurled two grenades inside the high commission building”, adding that the accused have committed the offence of unlawful activities (terror charges).
An Indian citizen, Amarjot is the brother-in-law of jailed Waris Punjab De chief Amrit Pal Singh, said an officer, declining to be named.
“When the Punjab police and Centre launched a manhunt for Amritpal Singh, Amarjot led protests against India in Canada. These protests were being spearheaded by Khalistani leaders like Hardeep Singh Nijjar [who was mysteriously shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia last week] and London-based Avtar Singh Khanda [who died in a hospital in Birmingham last week]. It is being investigated whether he was in touch with Amritpal Singh at that time,” said an officer, requesting anonymity.
In the second case pertaining to attack on Indian consulate in San Francisco, United States, on March 18-19, NIA has named eight Khalistan supporters — Baba Sarvan Singh, Amandeep Singh Virk, Lakhbir Singh, Gursharanjeet Singh, Harpreet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Gurcharan Singh Khalsa, Jaspreet Singh Lovla and unknown others.
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The FIR stated that accused persons led by Baba Sarvan Singh indulged in anti-India activities “including raising anti-India slogans, vandalising and defacing Indian consulate’s property, tying Khalistani flags on the railing of consulate’s entrance”.
The agency added that Baba Sarvan Singh exhorted the protestors to attack the consulate and kill all the representatives of Indian government.
“In the incident, Niranjan Pratap Singh, assistant consular officer was injured,” it said.
An NIA team last month visited London to gather evidence in the attack on Indian high commission there and has prepared a list of 45 suspects. It is also likely to soon visit the US and Canada.