logo
Khalistani Terrorist Happy Passia Likely To Be Extradited From US In Gurdaspur Grenade Attack Case

Khalistani Terrorist Happy Passia Likely To Be Extradited From US In Gurdaspur Grenade Attack Case

News1821 hours ago
Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, who was arrested in the US in April, is likely to be extradited to India in connection with the 2024 Gurdaspur police station grenade attack.
Khalistani terrorist Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia is likely to be extradited to India as the central agencies have contacted the agencies in the United States for the same, sources told CNN-News18.
Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Passia was arrested in the US on April 17, while a few others were charged in connection with the December 12, 2024, grenade attack on a police station in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.
At present, he is believed to be in the custody of US agencies in California's Sacramento.
Sources also said the Punjab Police was in contact with the US agencies for Passia's extradition.
The terror attack on the Ghanie Ke Bangar police station in Batala, district Gurdaspur, in December 2024, was claimed on social media by BKI operatives Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia and Gurpreet alias Gopi.
Later, the National Investigation Agency filed a chargesheet against seven BKI terrorists under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act, as well as other related provisions, for their roles in the conspiracy and execution of the attack.
The NIA took over the case on March 23 this year.
During the investigation, the NIA found that at the behest of BKI operative Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, Happy Passia had recruited Abhijot Singh through his node, and Shamsher Singh alias Shera alias Honey in Armenia, to carry out the attack.
Abhijot was also arrested by the NIA in a separate case related to a targeted shooting in Sector 10, Chandigarh.
On his return from Armenia, Abhijot had engaged in picking up and dropping weapons and explosives at the direction of his foreign-based handlers.
He had expanded his gang by recruiting Kuljit Singh and other accused. Kuljit had picked up the grenade on December 9 for the attack on the police station.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
Earlier, Punjab's Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Border Range, Satinder Singh said that after the attack at the police establishments, Batala Police launched a special operation to trace the perpetrators.
Based on technical and human-based intelligence, police teams, under the supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police, Batala, Suhail Qasim Mir, managed to track down all the accused and apprehend them, he added.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Explained: Law on phone-tapping, and two HC rulings
Explained: Law on phone-tapping, and two HC rulings

Indian Express

time35 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Explained: Law on phone-tapping, and two HC rulings

Can the government tap the phones of suspects to gather evidence before a crime is committed? Last week, in two separate cases, the Madras and the Delhi High Courts gave varying answers to this question. What is the law on phone tapping in India, and how have High Courts interpreted it? The law on tapping The government's powers to intercept communication is laid down in — and circumscribed by — three pieces of legislation. The 140-year-old Telegraph Act was originally meant for intercepting telegrams, but over the years it has been expanded to include telephonic conversations. Section 5(2) of the Act states that both state and central governments can, 'on the occurrence of any public emergency, or in the interest of the public safety', authorise interception. Given that the right to free speech and the right to privacy are fundamental rights, any encroachment on these rights through surveillance is only permissible on narrow constitutional grounds. These grounds — the interest of the sovereignty, and integrity of India; the security of the state; friendly relations with foreign states; public order; or preventing incitement to the commission of an offence — are enumerated as 'reasonable restrictions' under Article 19(2) of the Constitution. Section 5(2) of the Act also mentions these grounds for authorising interception. For actions to be deemed a threat to 'public emergency, or in the interest of the public safety' and allow for interception, they have to necessarily fall into one of the reasonable restrictions. The High Court rulings Both the Madras and Delhi High Court cases involved 'preventing incitement to the commission of an offence', which is one of the valid grounds in law for authorising phone tapping. Both courts separately examined the nature of economic offences to determine if they could be deemed as 'public emergency' or 'public safety.' While the Delhi High Court upheld the interception order, the Madras High Court quashed it. DELHI HC: On June 26, the Delhi High Court rejected the plea of an accused who challenged a trial court's order accepting evidence gathered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) through phone-tapping. The case related to the accused allegedly seeking to secure a sub-contract for the redevelopment of the ITPO complex into an Integrated Exhibition-Cum-Convention Centre through corrupt means. In 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had authorised interception of his phone on the suspicion that he was attempting to bribe a public official. Justice Amit Mahajan stated in his order that given the contract was for Rs 2,149.93 crore, 'the economic scale of the offence, in the opinion of this Court, satisfies the threshold of public safety'. 'The threat posed by corruption cannot be understated. Corruption has a pervasive impact on a nation's economy and the same can impact anything from infrastructural development to resource allocation. Corruption by a public servant has far-reaching consequences as it serves to not only erode public trust and cast aspersions on the integrity of public institutions, but also renders the public at large susceptible and vulnerable by threatening the economic safety of the country,' the High Court said. Madras HC: The Madras High Court on July 2 quashed an interception order issued by the MHA in 2011 for intercepting the phone of an accused in a bribery case. The accused was allegedly attempting to pay a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to a senior Income Tax officer to help the accused hide undisclosed taxable income. Justice Anand Venkatesh in his order stated that a 'public emergency' must be construed narrowly. In the petitioner's case, the MHA's objective to deal with tax evasion would not qualify as a 'public emergency' under Section 5(2) of the Act, the court said. The court also flagged in its order a press note that was released by the Press Information Bureau in April 2011, four months before the MHA order, saying that the law does not allow the monitoring of conversations through phone-tapping 'to merely detect tax evasion'. Additionally, the court said that the phone-tap was unlawful since it did not comply with the procedural standards set by the Supreme Court in a 1997 ruling. Once a phone-tap order is declared unlawful, any information gathered through the tap cannot be treated as evidence in a court of law. Procedural norms In its landmark 1997 ruling in People's Union Of Civil Liberties vs Union Of India, the Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 5(2) of the Telegraph Act. While it upheld the law, the court laid down procedural safeguards for its application. The SC said that an order for phone tapping can be issued only by the home secretary of the state and central governments, and that this power cannot be delegated to officers below the rank of joint secretary. The authorising authority must also consider whether the information could 'reasonably be acquired by other means'. Within two months of ordering a phone tap, a committee comprising the cabinet secretary, the law secretary and the telecom secretary shall review the order. At the state level, the committee shall comprise the chief secretary, law secretary and another member other than the home secretary. The scrutiny by the board has also been included under Rule 419-A (17) of the Telegraph Rules.

After US arrest, terrorist Passia may soon be sent to India
After US arrest, terrorist Passia may soon be sent to India

Time of India

time5 hours ago

  • Time of India

After US arrest, terrorist Passia may soon be sent to India

Happy Passia arrested in California NEW DELHI: Pro-Khalistan terrorist and ISI's key henchman Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, is expected to be extradited from the US to India soon. Passia was held on April 17 in Sacramento, California, by FBI and US Immigration & Customs Enforcement and is lodged at a detention centre in the US. Passia's arrest prompted an appreciation post from agency chief Kash Patel. "Captured: Harpreet Singh, part of an alleged foreign terrorist gang here illegally in the US, who we believe was involved in planning multiple attacks on police stations both in India and the US. @FBISacramento conducted the investigation coordinating with our partners locally as well as in India," Patel had posted on X. Punjab Police have sought his extradition and, sources said, that Indian agencies have received information from their US counterparts that the request for the pro-Khalistan terrorist to be handed over is being processed. With a reward of over Rs 5 lakh on him, Passia is accused of being behind grenade attacks in Punjab, targeting law enforcement installations, sacred sites and residences of well- known figures. According to a dossier, Passia operates on instructions from ISI and banned Khalistani outfit Babbar Khalsa International. Pak-based terrorist Harwinder Singh alias Rinda Sandhu, Passia has been orchestrating terror activities in Punjab besides carrying out extortion, shootings and arson. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Einzigartiges Produkt hilft tausenden Deutschen bei Gelenkschmerzen Medizinmonitor Jetzt lesen Undo Builders, liquor contractors and Hindu leaders have been on his radar. Born in Passia village in Ajnala, Passia left for Dubai a few years ago and before fleeing to the US during the pandemic on a forged passport, sources said. He was earlier a close associate of gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria but later started working for the Bambiha syndicate. Besides Passia, five others from Bambiha syndicate have been rounded up in the US, sources said. Gangsters like Daler Kota, Dinesh Gandhi and Sarabh Gadoli are among those who could be extradited to India in the coming months

13 tadipaar in a day: Gujarat Police passed 1,000 externment orders in last two and a half months, says DGP
13 tadipaar in a day: Gujarat Police passed 1,000 externment orders in last two and a half months, says DGP

Indian Express

time6 hours ago

  • Indian Express

13 tadipaar in a day: Gujarat Police passed 1,000 externment orders in last two and a half months, says DGP

Between March 15 and May 31, Gujarat Police passed more than 1,000 externment orders, averaging almost 13 tadipaar orders a day. The action taken in the last two and a half months or 77 days is part of steps being taken against alleged miscreants in the state under its whole-of-government approach in light of rising street violence. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay, who received a six-month extension to his tenure from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) earlier this month, the state police had taken various steps, ranging from demolition of illegal structures to snapping illegal power connections to preventive detention. Sahay was speaking at the headquarters of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) after the completion of Monthly Crime Conference for May 2025, which was delayed after the June 12 plane crash. Sahay said in the last two and a half months, after he passed orders to take action against miscreants in 100 days, a total of 586 illegal constructions and encroachments have been demolished across the state with help from civic bodies. Further, 1,857 illegal electricity connections had also been severed during this period. With regard to putting criminals behind bars, DGP Sahay said, 'The police have filed 434 proposals in various courts asking them to cancel the bail granted to such persons. More than 1,000 'tadipaar' externment orders had also been passed in this period.' The police have also invoked Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act against more than 800 people, said Sahay. Regarding narcotics, DGP Sahay said that just like PASA in other criminal cases, there is provision for preventive detention in narcotics cases, which is known as PIT NDPS ( Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. 'We discussed this today and in the last fortnight, 17 people have been placed under detention under this rule,' he said. 'In cases of crimes committed for financial gains, we have done scrutiny of the bank accounts of more than 200 accused persons. This was done by cyber crime police,' said Sahay. During the crime conference, the chief of Gujarat Police said the integrated 112 helpline will soon become operationalised in Gujarat. The other main point of discussion was regarding coastal security, coastal patrolling, and the review of coastal police stations and marine task force. The work of the Special Operations Group (SOG) was also reviewed and officials discussed ways to make it better.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store