JAGRAON: Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode a former Jathedar of Akal Takht, had been selling arms and ammunition to militant outfits and had also been receiving funds from other countries for his newspaper, Aj Diawaz, published from Jalandhar,

The involvement of the former Jathedar of Akal Takht in arms sales to the Khalistan Liberation Force, which was headed by slain Bhai Gurjant Singh Budh singhwala, came to light after the arrest of Amolak Singh of Akhara village in Jagraon subdivision, Amolak Singh is close associate of Baba Joginder Singh and has been working as his PA and driver.

Disclosing this to newsmen, Swaran Singh SSP, Jagraon police district, said recently that Bhai Jasbir Singh also raised a militant outfit, the Liberation Tigers Force of Khalistan, Kulwant Singh Gumti was made its chief and Baldev Singh Mokhe its deputy chief. According to Swaran Singh, both Kulwant Singh and Baldev Singh were involved in the killing of Rajinder Kaur daughter of Master Tara Singh and Editor of Sant Sipahi, three years a goat Bathinda.

The Jagraon police has arrested five persons in this case, Bhai Jasbir Singh Prem Piara, a correspondent and owner of a gun house at Nakodar, Amolak Singh and Sukhdev Singh Gholian of Faridkot district and ASI Rajinder Kumar.

They have been arrested under various sections of the Explosive Act, the Arms Act and TADA. All of them have been remanded in judicial custody.

Giving details of the clandestine business of Bhai Jasbir Singh, Swaran Singh said he appointed Prem Piara a reporter of Aj di Awaz. Prem Piara established contacts with ASI Rajinder Kumar, who was looking after the police armory in Jalandhar. Prem Piara would buy cartridges from ASI

Rajinder Kumar at the rate of Rs 2 each while Bhai Jasbir Singh would sell these to the KLF at Rs 125 apiece. They used the premises of Aj di Awaz as the main center.

Amolak Singh said during his interrogation that Bhai Jasbir Singh came to Sohian village in Ludhiana district six months ago in connection with the foundation stone laying ceremony of a gurdwara. Bhai Jasbir Singh brought five bags of cartridges in his vehicle and delivered these to a member of the KLF. The member showed him the secret sign, some coins, before getting delivery of the cartridges.

According to Swaran Singh, Bhai Jasbir Singh was brought to Jagraon on September 8 on production warrants in this case. He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him in judicial custody on September 9. He said Bhai Jasbir Singh confessed his involvement in the sale of arms and ammunition and corroborated the statement of Amolak Singh.

Swaran Singh said Bhai Jasbir Singh was ready to make a statement in the court itself but his lawyers prevented him from doing so.

Bhai Jasbir Singh was arrested a few months ago under TADA and is lodged in Bathinda jail these days.

Swaran Singh said the premises of Aj di Awaz were being used by them to dump ammunition. During a raid the police seized three cartridges and a .12-bore gun from the premises of the daily at Jalandhar. The men present at the office could not produce licenses for the guns.

Swaran Singh said KLF Lt-Gen Kuldip Singh Keep a had paid Rs 16 lakh to Bhai Jasbir Singh for the purchase of ammunition. Out of this Rs 5 lakh was returned to Keep a as the quality of the ammunition supplied was not up to the mark.

Swaran Singh said Bhat Jasbir Singh had been receiving payments from other countries, including the UK, in the name of Aj di Awaz. Paramjit Singh Gill was the kingpin. He was gearing up the International Sikh Youth Federation in the UK. He is based at Birmingham.

The SSP said the Editor and the general manager of Aj di Awaz involved in the sale of ammunition, they had absconded.

He said the Jagraon police had so far seized 4,000 cartridges of various types; include 1,000 of.9 mm and 200 for AK-47s, and three Springfield rifles.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 2, 1992