Escaped Khalistani terrorist Harminder Singh Mintoo arrested in Delhi
New Delhi: Khalistani terrorist HarminderSingh Mintoo was arrested at a railway station here on Monday, 28th
November 2016 wee hours, a day after he escaped from a high-security Nabha Jail
in Patiyala district in in Punjab.
The Khalistan LiberationForce (KLF) leader was nabbed from the parking area of Nizamuddin
railway station by Delhi Police's Special Cell, Special Commissioner of Police
Arvind Deep told. He was later produced in court and court sent him to seven days police
custody, on the Delhi Police's plea.
"He was arrested between 1 and 2 am when he was taking a
ticket from the counter for going to Panvel (Maharashtra) from
Nizamuddin," Deep said, adding Mintoo planned to move subsequently to Goa,
where he had spent 18 years since 1989 and had good contacts.
Mintoo had also a plan to flee from the country to Thailand or
Malaysia where also he had several good contacts. Earlier he had also visited
these countries on a fake passport, said the senior police officer.
According to police, after escaping from the high-security Nabha
Jail in Punjab, Mintoo along with Gurpreet Sekhon and fellow terrorist Kashmira
Singh Galwadi, escaped on a SUV. Sekhon, who was the mastermind in the jail
break, dropped the duo at Haryana's Kaithal.
Trying to change their looks by trimming their beards and
moustaches, they travelled to Panipat and then boarded another bus to reach
Delhi, where they separated, he said.
"When we surrounded him at the parking area of railway
station, Mintoo also tried to attack the team with a pistol but police managed
to apprehend him. A pistol and six cartridges were recovered from his
possession," said Deep, adding the operation was still on to arrest
Kashmira Singh. "He may be in Delhi, we are working on it," he said.
On their escape, he said it was "all pre-planned".
"We are suspecting that they have also exchanged money from their
associates which is also a matter of investigation. We are interrogating with
him," said Deep.
An earlier report said the arrest followed a joint operation by
Punjab Police and Delhi Police. Asked if
this was true, Deep said the Punjab Police had "alerted us that Mintoo
might go towards Delhi.
"Punjab Police had alerted Delhi Police on Sunday morning
that the escaped terrorists and gangsters could go toward the national capital
to escape to other parts of the country. We had deployed teams of Special Cell
personnel at every railway station, bus terminal, bus stand, guest house, hotel
and escape routes on border areas of the city," he said.
"We have also shared their photos with the teams and gave
directions to arrest any person involved in suspicious activities," Deep
said.
Mintoo was earlier wanted in more than 10 terror related cases,
which included the 2008 attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim
Singh, Deep said.
The arrest came within 24 hours after Mintoo, another terrorist
and four gangsters broke out of the Nabha Jail on Sunday wee hours after it was
attacked by 10-12 armed men. On Sunday evening, Parminder Singh alias Pamma
Singh, one of the alleged gunmen who carried out the sensational jailbreak, was
caught in Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh.
Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh allowed police to
question Mintoo till December 5 as Delhi Police told the court that they were
probing his links with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, and that custodial
interrogation will help in nabbing other co-accused who have helped him in his
escape from jail.
Police also informed the court that a fresh FIR was registered
against Mintoo under Section 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for
being a member of a banned terror organisation.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said a report had been
sought from the Punjab government and promised the central government's
assistance to nab those on the run.
"The Home Ministry has been doing whatever needs to be
done," he said.
"This (jailbreak) is a state subject and the Home Ministry
has already sent advisories to states in this regard. The state (Punjab)
government is looking into the matter," he said.
