Sponsoring terrorism is an expensive affair: P&H HC denies bail to two
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has denied bail to two men in a case related to the smuggling of narcotics, arms and explosives from Pakistan via drones to fund terror activities in India.
The court denied bail to Gurmukh Singh, the son of former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode, and Gurmej Singh. The Division Bench of Justices Gurvinder Singh Gill and Ramesh Kumari passed the order on December 5 last year.
The bench observed that sponsoring terrorism is an “expensive affair” and the charge is that heroin is smuggled into the country from across the border to fund terrorist activities. “The facts brought on record by the respondent NIA prima facie prove the involvement of the appellants in the terrorist activities.
The trial is in progress. Since they have links with persons across the border, who fund their activities, there are also chances of their absconding from trial,” the HC said, dismissing the appeals filed by Gurmukh Singh and Gurmej Singh. Gurmukh and Gurmej had approached the High Court after their bail applications were rejected by an NIA court in Punjab.
Dismissing their appeals, the High Court bench observed that both the appellants are part of anti-national elements who indulge in narco-terrorism, reflecting another dimension of anti-national activities wherein there is a nexus between narcotics and terrorism.
The bench said the facts of the case reveal that money received from the sale of narcotic substances smuggled from across the border is used for terror funding, and the accused-appellants are actively involved in India for terror funding at the behest of their masters, who are working from across the border in Pakistan.
Gurmukh Singh’s counsel had contended that during the investigation of the case, police recorded the statement of one of the co-accused and dragged him into this case “due to political reasons.”
