Indian High Commission in London protest case: Delhi High Court dismisses Inderpal Singh Gaba's plea against NIA custody

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea of Inder Pal Singh Gaba who is an accused in the case related to a protest outside the Indian High Commission in London in 2023.

Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed the plea of Gaba who had challenged the custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). 

A detailed court order is yet to be uploaded.

A charge sheet has already been filed in the Special NIA Court, New Delhi and court has taken cognizance of the same.

On September 5 this year, the NIA filed a charge sheet against Gaba alleged to be a key accused.
 
As per NIA, Gaba, a UK national residing in Hounslow and originally hailing from New Delhi, was chargesheeted as one of the agitators who had participated actively in the anti-India protest held on March 22 last year in front of Indian High Commission in London, as part of the Khalistani secessionist agenda. 

The accused was arrested by NIA on April 25 this year after exhaustive investigations that established his role in the secessionist activity, the NIA said.

He was earlier detained in December 2023, by the Immigration Authorities at the Attari border on arrival from London via Pakistan, based on a Look Out Circular opened against him.

Investigations were then initiated against Gaba and he was asked not to leave the country while the probe continued, the agency said.

During the investigation, the NIA seized his mobile phone and scrutinized the data, including several incriminating videos/photos of the incident, and eventually established his involvement in the incident, the agency said.
 
NIA said that investigations so far have revealed that the attacks in London were perpetrated in retaliation to the action taken by Punjab police against Amritpal Singh, Chief of Waris Punjab De, with the objective of influencing the crackdown on the outfit and its leader.

The violent attack on the High Commission was aimed at furthering and achieving the cause of Khalistan by secession of the state of Punjab from India, NIA alleged.