A local court in Patiala on Saturday sent two key accused, recently deported from Malaysia, to seven-day police remand in connection with the attempted IED blast on a railway track near Shambhu.
Deportation and Arrest Details
The accused, identified as Gurwinder Singh of Ambala and Manjit Singh of Patiala, were deported following a coordinated operation involving Punjab Police, central intelligence agencies, and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). They were taken into custody at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi upon arrival.
According to Malaysian authorities, the duo fled to Malaysia soon after the April 27 incident and went into hiding in the Klang Valley. Acting on intelligence inputs and Blue Corner Notices, Malaysia's Bukit Aman National Central Bureau (Interpol) tracked and detained them before initiating deportation.
Background of the Conspiracy
The arrests come months after Punjab Police claimed to have busted an alleged ISI-backed, pro-Khalistani terror module linked to the attempted railway track blast. The conspiracy, police said, pointed to foreign handlers targeting critical infrastructure in the state. Investigators allege the accused were functionaries of the banned Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and played a key role in financing and providing logistical support. Funds were allegedly routed through offshore channels to local operatives at the behest of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Police said the two were linked to funding operatives involved in three cases — the railway track blast in Sirhind (Fatehgarh Sahib), the Shambhu incident in Patiala, and a grenade attack on CIA premises in Moga.
Earlier Arrests and Recoveries
Earlier, Patiala Police and the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, had arrested four members of the module. Subsequent raids, including in Tarn Taran, led to the recovery of an RPG launcher, a 2.296kg IED with detonators, 1.456kg RDX, a hand grenade, three pistols, and communication equipment.
Expected Outcomes of Custodial Interrogation
Officials said custodial interrogation of the accused is expected to shed light on international funding networks and possible sleeper cells. Police added that with these arrests, key cases in Moga, Sirhind, and Shambhu have been cracked.
