NIA takes over London High Commission violence case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the investigation into Sikh extremists’19 March assault on the Indian National Flag at the Indian High Commission in London.

According to Delhi Police, the Home Ministry handed over the investigation to the NIA on 13 April after the Special Cell registered a case on the incident on 23 March based on a complaint filed by a London High Commission official present at the time of the violence.

The NIA has filed a case along the same lines as the Delhi Police under sections 109/147/148/149/120-B/448/452/325 IPC, Section 13 of UAPA, Section 3(1) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. During the Sikh radicals’ violence, two Indian High Commission officials in London were severely injured.

The Delhi Police FIR names Sikh extremists Avtar Singh aka Khanda, Gurcharan Singh, and Jasvir Singh as the main suspects, and the London High Commission made an SOS call to the Diplomatic Protection Officer at 345 hours GMT on March 19 about the breach in the Indian premises by radicals.

According to the FIR, Khanda (who has an Indian passport number F8777) and yellow turban-wearing Gurcharan Singh led 50-60 separatists. Both of these extremists, along with Jasvir Singh, were identified as participants in the violence and desecration of the Indian flag by a London High Commission official.