NIA files charge sheets in Shiv Sena's Punjab leaders killings

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed two separate charge sheets against 15 accused in connection with killings of Shiv Sena's Punjab leaders Durga Gupta and Satpal Sharma, an offcial said on Sunday.

Sharma and his son Ramesh Sharma were killed on February 25, 2017 while Gupta was murdered on April 23, 2016. 

The charge sheets were filed in the special court in Mohali on May 19 under various charges dealing with criminal conspiracy, murder, and common intention under the Indian Penal Code and under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act. 

NIA has named Hardeep Singh alias Shera, Ramandeep Singh alias Bagga, Dharminder Singh, Anil Kumar, Jagtar Singh Johal, Amaninder Singh, Manpreet Singh, Ravipal Singh, Pahad Singh, Parvez alias Farru, Malook Tomar, Harmeet Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Gursharanbir Singh and Gurjant Singh Dhillon as accused in the case. 

"During investigation it was found that killings of Satpal Sharma, his son Ramesh Sharma and Durga Gupta were part of a trans-national conspiracy hatched by senior leadership of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). Eight incidents of targeted killings/attempted killings were executed as part of this conspiracy between January 2016 and October 2017 in Punjab," it said. 

"All the persons targeted belonged to certain specific communities and organization. The objective of the conspiracy was to destabilize the law and order situation in Punjab and to revive the fledgling terrorism in the state," it added.



The NIA said that during the investigation, it was found that the conspiracy had its foot-prints in several countries including Pakistan, Britain, Australia, France, Italy and the UAE. As part of the conspiracy, large amounts of funds were supplied to the perpetrators through Italy, Australia and Britain.