Killing of 3 alleged KZF militants in Pilibhit: Local trader registers FIR against pro-Khalistan groups for ‘extortion calls’

Nearly after five days of investigation into the motive behind Pilibhit visit of three alleged militants of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) who were gunned down in Pilibhit’s Puranpur on December 23, a local trader has registered an FIR against wanted militant of Babbar Khalsa International Kulveer Singh Siddhu, who allegedly arranged a hotel room in Puranpur for the militants, and two others for making extortion calls to him, said senior police officials on Sunday.

They said the businessman apprehended that the three militants might have come to Puranpur to target him as he paid no heed to their extortion calls.

Pilibhit superintendent of police (SP) Avinash Pandey confirmed that one local businessman, Malkeet Singh, a resident of Gopalpur village, lodged an FIR with a local police station on Saturday and the police were further probing the matter.

Another police official said the complainant accused Kulveer Singh Siddhu, United Kingdom-based Jagjeet Singh alias Fateh Singh Baagi, said to be serving in the British Army and one Rihand of Pakistan of making extortion calls to him.

He said the complainant first received a WhatsApp from Siddhu using a UK number on September 7 earlier this year and demanded ₹10 lakh extortion. He said the complainant left for London on September 10 but he kept receiving extortion calls from Siddhu.

“In between, the complainant received similar extortion calls from one Rihand using a Pakistan number. Recently, the complainant received a video call demanding extortion from Fateh Sigh Baagi and he threatened him by showing AK-47 assault rifle over call on December 6,” the police official said.

“The businessman did not take these extortion calls seriously, but gradually realised the threat perception after learning links of Siddhu and Baagi with the killed militants of Khalistan Zindabad Force,” the cop added.

The investigators said KZF terror module is controlled by one Ranjeet Singh Nita and operated by Greece-based Punjab native Jaswinder Singh Mannu. It was further controlled by UK-based Jagjeet Singh. He used the identity of Fateh Singh Baggi.

The UK authorities, however, reportedly refuted Punjab police’s findings about the involvement of the British Army soldier, Jagjeet Singh, in terrorist activities in India.

The UK ministry of defence on Tuesday said no one by that name was serving in the British Army, while the Punjab director general of police backed the investigation, and saying the matter will be taken up with the British authorities “through proper channels”, an English daily reported.

Earlier, the investigation revealed that the NIA had declared reward of ₹10 lakh on the alleged wanted militant Kulveer Singh Siddhu after his name surfaced in the murder of VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar, also known as Vikas Bagga, who was shot dead in Nangal town of Punjab’s Rupnagar district on April 13 this year. The NIA had filed a chargesheet against six people, including Kulveer Singh Siddhu.

Another police official privy to the investigation said Siddhu had called Jaspal Singh alias Sunny to arrange a hotel room for the three KZF operatives—Varinder Singh alias Ravi, Gurwinder Singh, and Jashanpreet Singh alias Partap Singh—accused of attacking a police outpost of Gurdaspur district in Punjab with grenades last month.

He said Sunny revealed during interrogation he and several other youths of Pilibhit’s Puranpur area were in touch with Kulveer Singh Siddhu after coming in his contact when he stayed in Puranpur for around three years.

He said Sunny told cops that Siddhu visited Puranpur from his native village in Haryana during Covid in 2020-21 and left for Greece in April this year. He said Siddhu is currently claimed to be living in England and allegedly in touch with other pro-Khalistan militants.