Last Updated: June 20, 2023, 17:41 IST
The tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was grabbed by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags in March. (PTI File)
This is the first time that India has invoked the extra-territorial jurisdiction to investigate offences committed on foreign soil
In a crackdown against Khalistani groups, three cases have been registered pertaining to the attacks on the India High Commissions and Consulates based in London, Ottawa and San Francisco, days after Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a wanted terrorist and top leader of the Khalistani Tiger Force (KTF), was shot dead in Surrey, Canada.
This is the first time that India has invoked the extra-territorial jurisdiction to investigate offences committed on foreign soil.
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A team of investigation agencies visited London and a probe is on for identification and catching the accused. Investigation agencies are also probing a larger conspiracy angle. The agencies are resorting to crowd-sourcing to get information about the accused.
Several cases have been registered against Khalistani terrorist organisations and Khalistani groups.
Many active Khalistani operatives based abroad have been listed as individual terrorists.
Tightening the screws on Khalistani groups, the accused based abroad are also being declared as ‘proclaimed offenders’ and judicial courts are being moved for attachment and confiscation of their properties.
Identification of pro-Khalistani entities in India and abroad and dismantling their network in India is one of the primary objectives of investigations against Khalistani groups.
Many ‘wanted’ absconders got deported or extradited to India due to persistent follow-up with the authorities concerned in the foreign countries. Bikramjit Singh alias Bikkar Panjwar alias Bikkar Baba, the mastermind of Tarn Taran bomb blasts, was successfully extradited from Austria in December 2022.
Another four accused wanted for commission of serious and sensational crimes such as the Ludhiana Court Complex blast case, including Kulwinderjit Singh alias Khanpuria of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Harpreet Singh alias Happy Malaysia, Parminder Pal Singh alias Bobby and Aboobacker Haji, were also deported from various countries last year.
Propaganda by various terrorist groups, especially pro-Khalistani elements, was handled effectively by getting anti-national URLs blocked by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
