The Hindu : New Delhi News : BKI plans to revive militancy revealed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

BKI plans to revive militancy revealed

Devesh K. Pandey

Startling disclosures to police by blast accused

NEW DELHI: Jaspal Singh, prime accused in the twin blasts at two cinema halls here on May 22, has allegedly told his interrogators that the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) had plans to revive militancy with active assistance from its mentors in Pakistan. He allegedly revealed that during his visit to Pakistan last month he had met the BKI chief, Wadhawa Singh.

Jaspal allegedly disclosed that two years ago he had met a person called Baba in his native village in Punjab. When Baba came to know about his desire to settle abroad, he promised to help him. In due course, Baba brainwashed Jaspal and motivated him to work for BKI members who were settled in countries like Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Canada.

Jaspal fell into the trap and began ferrying consignments of explosives for the outfit. His job was also to hide explosives at different places to be used when required. It is learnt that before he was arrested, Jaspal had received and distributed about 100 kg of RDX to other BKI militants and his accomplices operating in Punjab.

The police said Jaspal, who was previously involved in criminal cases along with his accomplices, Ashwini, Jagannath and Chanchal Juneja, convinced Chanchal and Jagannath to work with him. Jaspal knew Chanchal well as their fathers were in the same foreign exchange business for the past three decades. At Jaspal's instance, he persuaded his neighbour, Vikas Sehgal, to join them.

The planning to trigger blasts at cinema halls here in the Capital began to take shape in December last. Accordingly, Jaspal and his classmate, Balwinder, were asked to visit Bangkok to get a visa stamp on their passports as it would help them secure visas for Western countries. In Bangkok they met Shahid who took them to Dubai, from where Jaspal was taken to Pakistan probably on fake travel documents.

In Pakistan, he was introduced to the BKI head, Wadhawa Singh, who motivated him to work for the "Khalistan" cause. Jaspal also received training in the handling of explosives.

Through the Internet and telephone, Jaspal was introduced to other members of a BKI module in Germany headed by Wadhawa Singh's son-in-law, Satnam Singh. This unit apparently gave final instructions to target Satyam and Liberty cinema halls during screening of the controversial movie "Jo Bole So Nihaal". Jaspal and Balwinder then came back to India via Bangkok on May 13.

As per the plan, Jaspal brought one of the hidden consignments to the Capital for the blasts.

Through his disclosures, the police have learnt that scores of young men like Jaspal are being exploited by the BKI for different purposes. "In view of the huge quantity of arms and ammunition seized during the raids so far, we suspect that the outfit has smuggled in tonnes of explosive consignments from across the border via the Kashmir Valley, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat," said a police officer.

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