‘Khalistan conspiracy’: Bombay HC grants bail to retired Delhi Police official

The court, while granting bail till conclusion of trial, imposed conditions on Sunderlal Parashar and asked him to appear before the NIA office in Mumbai once a month for the next six months.

The Bombay High Court Wednesday granted bail to a retired Delhi Police official arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly providing a weapon to an accused linked to a group attempting to revive Sikh militancy for a separate Khalistan.

Sunderlal Parashar, former Assistant Commissioner of Delhi Police and a resident of Delhi, had approached the High Court after the special court in Mumbai on July 1, 2019 rejected his bail plea. He was arrested on April 24, 2019 following which, a chargesheet was filed against him on May 23, 2019.

A division bench of Justice S S Shinde and Justice N J Jamadar passed an order on Parashar’s appeal against the special court order. On September 24, the High Court had reserved the plea for order.

The bench quashed and set aside the special court decision. The court, while granting bail till conclusion of trial, imposed conditions on Parashar and asked him to appear before the NIA office in Mumbai once a month for the next six months.

In his bail plea filed through advocate Mubin Solkar, Parashar said there is no evidence presented by the NIA that could show his involvement in the alleged conspiracy. The NIA had invoked sections under the Arms Act against him, stating that Parashar had provided a pistol and live rounds, which was recovered from another accused in the case named Moinuddin Siddiqui.

Advocate Sandesh Patil for NIA opposed the bail plea and said Siddiqui gave the weapon to another accused Harpal Singh. The investigation agency alleged that Singh was active on social media, seeking the creation of a separate Khalistan and had links with a radical group called Babbar Khalsa International.

In his bail plea, Parashar’s lawyers said the NIA did not show his intent towards the alleged offense and that he was only looking to provide information on the conspiracy to an intelligence agency.

The NIA, in its chargesheet, had stated there were 250 phone calls between Parashar and Siddiqui. Parashar submitted before the court that Siddiqui was his informant. NIA said Parashar had not been able to explain the reason for handing over a weapon to the co-accused.

A detailed order will be made available in due course.

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