JOIN USBabbar Khalsa man planned to recruit men for his outfit
Sarabpreet Singh, the Babbar Khalsa International member, who was arrested on Thursday, was hunting for more young recruits for the militant outfit which planned to kill politicians and religious leaders in Punjab.
The 30-year old, who was picked up from Singhal Pura market at Shalimar Bagh in north-west Delhi, first recruited his childhood friend Jaswinder Singh, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Ashok Chand.
In March, 2010 Sarabpreet went to Hong Kong and met BKI operative Kulbir Singh, who persuaded him to join the group.
“Kulbir promised him financial suppot and that BKI would arrange explosives, assault rifle, pistols, rocket, launcher and also provide two trainers to impart training and handling of weapon to youths recruited by him in India,” said Chand.
After returning to India, Sarabpreet roped in Jaswinder Singh. Jaswinder accompanied Sarabpreet to collect a consignment of weapons, explosives and fake currency. A part of the consignment was kept with Jaswinder. Jaswinder is a school drop-out. A joint team to Delhi and Punjab Police conducted raids and arrested Jaswinder from Anandpur Sahib near Ropar.
Jaswinder was then brought to Delhi,” said Chand.
Sarabpreet also told police that he met Kulbir, who hails from Nawashahar in Punjab and fled to to Hong Kong in 2001, for the first time when he was 20 years old. Soon, Sarabpreet became involved in criminal activities and in 2003 was charged in connection a murder in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.
“He was arrested but subsequently acquitted. In 2009, he was named in a drug trafficking case in Patiala. Since then he has been absconding,” said Chand.
Sarabpreet fled to Ranchi in Jharkhand and renewed his passport from there. Since he was wanted in Punjab, Sarabpreet shifted his base to Delhi and started living in Shalimar Bagh. Apart from Kulbir Singh, he was also in contact with Wadhawa Singh, the BKI chief.