NIA attaches assets of duo accused in Shaurya Chakra awardee killing

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached several immovable properties belonging to two accused involved in the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu by agents of the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) in Punjab.

Sandhu, who was conferred with the bravery award for fighting against terrorism in Punjab, was gunned down by two bike-borne men at his home in Bhikhiwind town of Tarn Taran district in October 2020.

According to an official statement issued on Wednesday, the agency was acting on the orders of a special NIA court in Mohali. A property measuring 9 marla in Peeran Bagh and another measuring 2 kanal 7 sarsai in Salimpur Arian, both registered in the name of accused Gurwinder Singh alias Baba of Gurdaspur district, were attached.

Another 2 kanal and 10 marla land in Jeobala, registered in the name of Harbhinder Singh alias Pinder of Tarn Taran, has been attached, according to the statement on Tuesday.

The NIA’s investigation revealed that Harbhinder Singh, along with an associate, had helped accused Inderjit Singh in the reconnaissance of the residence of Balwinder Singh Sandhu with the purpose of eliminating him as part of a conspiracy by KLF cadres based in India and abroad.

Gurwinder, in association with Sukhmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh Bhikariwal — a close associate of “designated individual terrorist” Lakhbir Singh Rode — was involved in supplying weapons which were used in the murder, the NIA said.

Both Harbhinder and Gurwinder were chargesheeted by the NIA in December 2021 and a supplementary charge sheet was filed against the latter on January 2, 2023 with additional charges.

The case was originally registered at Bhikhiwind police station in Tarn Taran on October 16, 2020. It was taken over by the NIA on January 26, 2021.