May 06, 2021

The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Mohali has granted bail to eight accused arrested in connection with the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu as charge-sheet was not presented against them within the stipulated 180 days. 

Sandhu, who was conferred with the bravery award for fighting terrorism in Punjab, was gunned down by two bike-borne men at his home in Bhikhiwind town of Tarn Taran district on October 16, 2020.

Seven of the accused—identified as Chand Kumar aka Bhatia (32), Rajbir Singh aka Raja (29), Rakesh Kumar aka (29), Manpreet Singh aka Manni (23), Jobanjeet Singh aka Joban (22), Kirpal Singh (28) and Sunny (23)—were granted bail on Tuesday while the eighth accused, Ravinder Singh alias Gian (26), was given the bail on April 30. The counsel of the accused, Jaspal Singh Manjpur said, “Raja, Kirpal and Gian have other cases pending against them while the other five will be released soon as their surety bonds have been furnished.” Gian, who is an accused in Nabha jailbreak episode, was termed as the key accused in the case by Tarn Taran police.

The NIA has also submitted in the court that five of the eight accused—Raja, Manni, Joban, Kirpal and Sunny—“have not been arrayed as accused in the final report under section 173 of the CrPC and closure report has been filed against them”. Manjhpur said, “I had argued in the court that if the closure report was filed why these accused were not released.” All the eight accused, who have got the bail, were arrested by the Punjab Police. 

In total 23 accused were arrested for Sandhu’s killing. A case under Sections 120B (conspiracy), 201 (disappearance of evidence), 212 (harbouring offender) and 302 (murder) of the IPC and Sections 25 (1B) and 27 of the Arms Act, and Sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) was registered against the accused at Bhikhiwind police station in Tarn Taran. Earlier, Tarn Taran police had got an extension from 90 days to 180 days for filing a charge sheet against the accused. The NIA had taken over the case from Tarn Taran police on January 26.

Earlier, on April 27, the NIA had filed a charge sheet against eight other accused, allegedly connected to Pakistan-based proscribed terrorist organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), for killing Sandhu. Gangster Sukhmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh Bhikhariwal was among these eight accused.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/nia-court-grants-bail-to-8-accused-in-comrade-sandhu-murder-case-101620245739571.html