NIA court directs protection of witnesses in Gurugram twin blasts case
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Chandigarh: The special NIA court for Haryana in Panchkula has directed the police and central agencies to ensure the protection of six key witnesses named in the chargesheet filed by the investigative agency in connection with the twin blasts outside two nightclubs in Gurugram on Dec 24 last year.
While directing the investigating agencies and law enforcement authorities to ensure the protection of witnesses, the NIA court, presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge Rajiv Goyal, also directed the protection of relevant and crucial documents containing statements and details of witnesses.
Notably, on Friday, NIA filed a voluminous chargesheet before the NIA court. While filing the chargesheet, the agency termed the incident as part of a plot to create terror as operations of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) group and indicted Goldy Brar, the Canada-based gangster and terrorist, and US-based Randeep Singh, aka Randeep Malik, as accused in the case.
According to the chargesheet, the group is alleged to be involved in fundraising through extortions and other illicit means, procurement of explosives and weapons to create terror, and other anti-national activities.
Notably, while filing the chargesheet, NIA also moved an application for the safety and security of witnesses as protected ones. Acceding to the request by the agency, the court allowed the application and fixed July 1 as the next date of hearing for resuming discussion on the framing of charges.
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The investigating agency, while going through the details, indicted the gangsters Goldy Brar and Ranbir. The court also extended the judicial remand of Sachin Taliya and Ankit Kumar, who are currently lodged in jail.
It may be recalled that the incident dates to Dec 24 last year when Gurugram saw two blasts by crude bombs outside the nightclubs - The Warehouse Club and The Human Club. Though no major injury was reported, the incident created terror in the area.
Initially, the investigations were carried out by Gurugram Police, but later investigations were taken over by NIA. A total of three persons, namely Sahil Taliyan, Ankit, and Bhawish, were arrested, and in due course, the names of Goldy Brar and Randeep Malik cropped up, who are operating from Canada and the US, respectively.
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