CHANDIGARH: The roots of the conspiracy hatched to assassinate Beant Singh, the then Punjab Chief Minister, have been traced to Lahore in Pakistan by the Central Bureau of Investigation, has named 13 persons in the plot.

The CBI has confirmed Dilawar Singh, a dismissed SPO as the human bomb which led to the assassination of Beant Singh and 16 others, at the Civil Secretariat, on August 31. Of the 13 accused, five are already in judicial custody and seven others have been declared proclaimed offenders.

The conspiracy has been traced to the designs of the Babbar Khalsa International, a militant outfit aligned to the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (an organization engaged in religious preaching). The CBI has stated that the plan ‘was hatched by the top Babbar leaders, Wadhawa Singh, Mehal Singh and Jagiar Singh Hawara, at Lahore in November, 1994, They also planned to assassinate the Punjab Director General of Police, Mr. K.P.S. Gill, All three are still absconding.

The charge sheet running into 30 pages was filed by the CBY counsel, Mr, R.K. Handa,

Those who have been booked by the CBl to be put on trial include Gurmeet Singh, a resident of Patial Lakhvinder Singh alias Lakha alias Hero, a police constable, Jagtar Singh Tara, Navjot Singh, a resident of Mohali and Nasib Singh of Ropar district, All of them were arrested by the CBI a few days after the assassination of Beant Singh.

The seven accused, who are still absconding and declared proclaimed offenders, besides Wadhawa Singh, ‘Mahal Singh and Jagtar Singh Hawara, are Paramjit Singh, Balwant Singh, a Punjab Police constable, Jagroop Singh and Shamsher Singh.

The documents supplied by the CBI included list of about 350 witnesses. ‘Other documents placed in the court included investigation reports, supporting papers, medical reports and statements of a number of persons.

The sources said that about 200 documents have been filed along with the charge sheet.

About 100 articles impounded during the course of the investigation were also deposited in the court.

The CBI said that Wadhawa Singh and Mahal Singh Babbar, who are at present in Pakistan, had been clandestinely visiting Punjab to carry out militant activities in India.

According to the charge sheet, Jagtar Singh Tara was also a committed member of BKI and had been assisting Wadhawa Singh and Mahal Singh in the execution of their violent activities. He was taken to Pakistan for training in arms, ammunition and explosives.

Balwant Singh, working as a constable in Punjab police, was a security guard of Mr. Bhushan Sithandi of Patiala, a journalist, Gurmeet Singh was working in BPL Sanyo, while Lakhwinder Singh was a constable in the police and at the time of his arrest he was in the Intelligence branch of the state police:

Alleged assassin Dilawar Singh was a dismissed Special Police Officer, Gurmeet Singh, Dilawar Singh and ‘Nayjot Singh were good friends. Accused Paramjit Singh, Jagtar Singh Tara, Jagroop Singh and Navjot Singh were also active members of the BKI and often met each other at various places in India before the assassination of Beant Singh, the CBI Challan said.

It said that Paramjit Singh and Jagtar Singh Tara were already accused of terrorist” activities and were facing a trial, Jagtar ‘Singh Hawara used to frequently visit the house of Nasib Singh, where explosives and arms ‘were concealed and used in unlawful activities as per BKI plans and directions. The Challan said that they were also BKI “hardcore” activists. The CBI said that between November last year and August this year, all the accused entered into a criminal conspiracy, at various places in India and Pakistan, to assassinate Beant Singh, For this purpose, Wadhawa Singh, Mahal Singh and Hawara went to Lahore, in Pakistan, and agreed in principle to kill Beant Singh.

The CBI said that after coming back from Pakistan, the accused hatched a conspiracy with other BK activists to use a human bomb to assassinate Beant singh.

According to the charge sheet, accused Paramjit Singh, Navjot Singh and Jagtar Singh Tara became frontrunners in the conspiracy to kill Beant Singh and DGP Gill, All the three hired vehicles for carrying explosives and other arms and ammunition from the Ajnala border area of Punjab to Ropar district in the state.

It said, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Jagtar Singh Tara also purchased an ‘Ambassador car from New Delhi, which they later used in the assassination operation of the late Chief Minister.

Finally, they made a bomb with DX explosives and prepared Dilawar Singh to carry the bomb

Article extracted from this publication >> December 15, 1995