Fresh case against recaptured Khalistani terrorist, sent to police custody

A fresh terror case was filed by Delhi Police on Monday against Khalistani terrorist Harminder Singh Mintoo, who was sent to seven days' police custody by a local court after he was recaptured here a day after his sensational escape from a Punjab prison.

Delhi Police told the court that they were probing his links with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.

Police also informed the court that a fresh FIR was registered against Mintoo under Section 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for being a member of a banned terror organisation.

Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh allowed police to question Mintoo till December 5.

Mintoo was arrested at a railway station here on Monday morning, a day after he escaped from Nabha prison in Punjab along with another terrorist and five gangsters.

Delhi Police informed the court that Mintoo was earlier a member of the banned terror organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a Khalistani militant group, but later joined the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), of which he later became chief.

Police also told the court that Mintoo had gone to Pakistan and attended a training programme conducted by the ISI.

Delhi Police has recovered a pistol from his possession and also slapped charges under Arms Act.

Police told the court that custodial interrogation of Mintoo will help in nabbing other co-accused who have helped him in his escape from jail.

Detailing the sequence of the jail break, police told the court that Mintoo and his associate snatched a rifle from the jail guards and fired upon them, injuring two of them.

Mintoo was arrested in 2014 and has 10 cases against him. The other terrorist who escaped on Sunday was Kashmir Singh Galwadi.

--IANS

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