The National Investigation Agency arrested absconding Khalistani terrorist Gurjeet Singh Nijjar at New Delhi airport on Tuesday. The agency said Nijjar, a resident of Ajnala in Amritsar, had left India for Cyprus in 2017.
According to the NIA, Nijjar along with two other accused—Harpal Singh and Moin Khan— were active on social media and hatched a criminal conspiracy to revive Sikh militancy for the ultimate aim of the formation of a separate state of Khalistan.
“Investigation further revealed that as part of the conspiracy of separate ‘Khalistan State’ accused Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, accused Harpal Singh and accused Moin Khan used to post videos and images containing praises of militant Jagtar Singh Hawara (a convicted accused in assassination of Beant Singh, Former Chief Minister of Punjab), images and videos of Operation Blue Star of 1984 and pro-Khalistani posts related to proscribed organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) with sole intention to motivate likeminded Sikh youths and others to join the Khalistan ‘movement’,” the agency said in a statement.
Moin Khan was in Tihar Jail from 2013 to 2016 and during this period he developed contact with Hawara, and shown his willingness to work for him and shared his contact number with him, the NIA said.
“Subsequently, as planned, accused Moin Khan sent friend request to Facebook ID ‘Khalistani Jindabad Khalistan’ from his Facebook account. By joining this Facebook account, Moin Khan came in contact with Harpal Singh and Gurjeet Singh Nijjar,” it said.
The agency claimed that Nijjar instigated Moin Khan by talking to him about the “committed against the Muslims and Sikhs in India” and convinced him to work for separate ‘Khalistan State’
In 2019, the NIA had filed a chargesheet against Nijjar, Harpal Singh, Moin Khan and another accused Sundar Lal Parashar.
The agency said it will now obtain the transit custody of Nijjar and take him to Mumbai for further investigation.
