The submission came in connection with the ongoing investigation into the killing of Sandhu
In a significant revelation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has told the Supreme Court that Khalistani terrorists based in Canada were the masterminds behind the 2020 murder of Shaurya Chakra awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu in Punjab.
The NIA submission came in connection with the ongoing investigation into the killing of Sandhu, who was shot dead at his residence-cum-school in Bhikhiwind, Punjab.
The agency told the Supreme Court that Sukhmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh Bhikariwal, Sunny Toronto (a Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) operative based in Canada) and Lakhveer Singh alias Rode (nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala and head of terror outfit International Sikh Youth Federation and Khalistan Liberation Force) instructed and tasked the accused to commit the crime.
The NIA in its affidavit said Balwinder Singh Sandhu murder conspiracy was hatched by Sunny Toronto in order to eliminate anti-Khalistani entities in India. The KLF believes that by targeting anti-Khalistan figures in India they can revive the demand for the separate homeland through violent means in India.
Sunny Toronto and Lakhveer Singh Rode conspired to revive terrorism and contacted Sukhmeet Pal Singh to execute the murder. The aim to revive terrorism and create unrest in Punjab.
Sunny Toronto had also been in contact with Inderjit Singh, also known as Inder, a resident of Punjab, since 2019. Inderjit, who had been radicalized toward pro-Khalistani beliefs, shared his ties with overseas members of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF)
These developments related to the Khalistan separatist movement comes amid the Canadian government’s support to the group and doubling down on it by accusing the Indian government’s diplomats of being involved in those murders.
The KLF, which also has operatives in Canada, aims to carve a Khalistan state out of India through violent, armed means. They aim to revive the movement by targeting members of specific communities so as to polarise the society of Punjab on communal lines, the investigation agency told the apex court.
Within this context, KLF members orchestrated a conspiracy to target individuals from specific communities, with Balwinder Singh Sandhu becoming one of the targets.
The NIA has repeatedly highlighted this aspect, including in January and March, as well as in the chargesheet while seizing the accused’s properties.
The NIA reiterated these claims before the apex court while opposing the bail of the accused in the case.
