2021 Ludhiana court blast: Pak-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode planned attack, says NIA chargesheet

Lakhbir Singh Rode, a Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorist handler, had planned to execute Improvised Explosive Device blasts at various locations in Punjab including December 23, 2021, Ludhiana court complex blast case which claimed one person and injuries to six others, said NIA chargesheet.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheet also states that Rode, in association with Pakistan-based smugglers, recruited India-based operatives to smuggle IEDs and to carry out blasts to cause maximum casualties and to strike terror among the general public in order to execute these plans.

In furtherance of the conspiracy to carry out IED blasts in Punjab, it further said, Rode, with the help of Zulfikar alias Pehalwan, a Pakistan based Cross-border Arms-Explosives-Narcotics smuggler, Harpreet Singh alias Happy Malaysia, Surmukh Singh alias Sammu, Dilbagh Singh and Rajanpreet Singh, formed a terror gang to carry out blasts and smuggle weapons into India.

Rode used the smuggling channels of Pakistan-based smuggler Zulfikar and his associates - Surmukh Singh and Harpreet Singh to deliver the IED to Gagandeep Singh who planted it to cause the blast in Ludhiana Court Complex and lost his life in the process.

The NIA filed the chargesheet against five accused in the Ludhiana court complex blast case on Saturday before a special NIA Court in Punjab’s Mohali. Those named in the chargesheet are Gagandeep Singh, Surmukh Singh, Dilbag Singh, Rajanpreet Singh, and Zulfikar. 

The accused persons chargesheeted under sections 120-B and 113 r/w 307,326, 436, 109 r/w 302 r/w 301 of Indian Penal Code, Sections 6 r/w 3, 4 Explosive Substance Act 1908, Sections 16, 18, 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Sections 4 Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984. The case was initially registered on December 23, 2021, at Division -5 Police Station in Ludhiana Commissionerate, Punjab and re-registered by the NIA on January 13 last year.

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