JS Multani being questioned in Germany over Punjab terror cases

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Jaswinder Singh Multani, an activist of the banned terror organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), was being questioned in Germany at the behest of Indian security agencies over his involvement in terror incidents in Punjab, officials privy to the development said today.

The German Federal Police, in reply to a query by The Tribune on Multani, neither denied nor confirmed his arrest. In an e-mail communication, the press officer of the German police said as a matter of principle, they did not divulge personal information and the Indian authorities should be contacted for the purpose.

A controversy had erupted earlier in the day when SFJ general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannu released a purported video, claiming Multani had not been arrested. He is also seen speaking with Multani in the video.

Media reports from New Delhi claimed on Tuesday that efforts made by Indian diplomatic channels had led to the arrest of Multani after the Ludhiana court blast.

Indian officials today chose to ignore the claims made by the SFJ. Interestingly, Pannu, in earlier video messages, had threatened different Punjab CMs and DGPs. But in today’s video, he said the SFJ believed in fighting through ballot, not bombs. Sources privy to the developments in Germany said Multani was a suspect in some recent terror incidents, with a Punjab Police dossier stating he was a “master handler” and expert in recruiting youth for terrorism and that he used to supply them money, weapons and explosives through narcotic smugglers or gangsters in the state.

His name figures in two FIRs lodged in February and August in Punjab, including a plot to kill farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal to spread unrest and chaos.

The police are suspecting his involvement in the Ludhiana court blast case.

Indian officials mum on SFJ video

A controversy erupted on Wednesday when banned SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannu released a purported video, claiming that the outfit’s activist Jaswinder Singh Multani had not been arrested. He is seen speaking with Multani in the video. Indian officials chose to ignore the claims. (The Tribune)