CALCUTTA: Six members of the Khalistani Liberation Force who had allegedly conspired to assassinate Lt General KS. Brar, GOC in C, Eastern Command, and Mr Siddharta Shankar Ray, former Governor of Punjab, were produced in custody before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Mr Kalyan Basu, after their arrest from different parts of Calcutta.

The six, identified as Gurpreet Singh, Amrit Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Joginder Singh and Daljit Singh, were arrested by the Assistant Commissioner, Mr Ranu Guha Neogi of the Calcutta Special Branch, on charges of conspiracy, rioting, murder, dacoity waging war against the Government of India under Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, Sections 3 and 5 of the Explosives Act and also under Section 10 of the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act.

The first accused, Gurpreet Singh, was arrested on November 21 before the main gate of Fort William at 1 a.m.

During interrogation Gurpreet Singh said he was a member of the Khalistani Liberation Force and took up various assignments, including annihilation of General Brar, now stationed in Calcutta, who had been officer incharge during Operation Bluestar in 1984, and Mr Ray.

The accused revealed that they had chalked out various plans, including collection of information relating to the day-to-day movements of General Brar and Mr Ray, whom they described as “antiKhalistanis”.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 14, 1990