NIA files charge sheets in Hindu leader, pastor murder cases

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday filed two separate charge sheets against 15 accused in the killings of pastor Sultan Masih and Hindu leader Amit Sharma.

During investigation, it was found that the killings of Amit Sharma and pastor Sultan Masih were part of a trans-national conspiracy hatched by the senior leadership of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).

In the charge sheet, the agency has named following people as accused-Hardeep Singh, alias Shera, alias Pahalwan, Ramandeep Singh, alias Canadian, alias Bagga, Dharminder Singh, alias Guguni, Parvez, alias Farru, Malook Tomar, Harmeet Singh, alias PhD, Gurjant Singh, Gursharanbir Singh, Anil Kumar, alias Kala, Ravipal, Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi, Amaninder Singh, Manpreet Singh, alias Mani Pahad Singh, and Gurjinder Singh Shastri.

All the accused have been booked under Sections 302, 379, 416 and 120 B of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under relevant Sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and Arms Act.

Masih, who belonged to the Christian community and was engaged in social welfare activities in Ludhiana, was shot dead outside the Temple of God Church, Ludhiana on July 15, 2017.

While Sharma, who was the president of the Ludhiana unit of 'Sri Hindu Thakt', was shot dead on January 14, 2017 on the roadside near Durga Mata Mandir, Ludhiana.

"Eight incidents of targeted killings / attempted killings were executed as part of this conspiracy between January, 2016 and October, 2017 in Punjab. All the persons targeted belonged to certain specific communities and organisations" NIA said in a statement.

The NIA further said that as part of the conspiracy, large amounts of funds were supplied through Italy, Australia and the UK to the perpetrators to purchase weapons for executing the killings and other logistics.

The charge sheet, filed in a special court in Mohali, was based on the evidence collected from oral, documentary, material and electronic sources.