New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is attempting to determine if there’s any Pakistan hyperlink to the violent demonstration by pro-Khalistan protesters exterior the Indian excessive fee in London final month, as a part of its probe into a bigger conspiracy, based on officers conscious of the matter.

While probing a number of instances linked to pro-Khalistan extremists within the final two years, the company had discovered a robust affiliation between Pakistan’s spy company Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and pro-Khalistan leaders working from numerous international locations such because the UK, Germany, Australia, the US and Canada.

In the case pertaining to the agitation exterior the Indian excessive fee in London final month, the position of UK-based Khalistan leaders, together with Avtar Singh Khanda, suspected handler of radical preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, in allegedly main the protesters to the excessive fee can be in focus, the officers cited above mentioned.

Khanda, related to Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and two others – Gurcharan Singh and Jasvir Singh – have been named as key suspects within the first info report (FIR) taken up by NIA from Delhi Police’s Special Cell filed 4 days after the protests final month.

NIA took over the probe from Delhi Police final week after the ministry of dwelling affairs (MHA) held a gathering with UK dwelling workplace representatives. It is predicted to ship a workforce to London to research the matter.

“Whenever the team visits London, NIA will share with the UK its probe findings on the involvement of Khalistan extremists in anti-India activities and their links with Pakistan-based handlers/leaders,” an official mentioned, searching for anonymity.

On March 19, pro-Khalistan protestors pulled down the Tricolour and tried to vandalise the Indian excessive fee in London over the crackdown by regulation enforcement companies towards pro-Khalistan chief Amritpal and his aides in Punjab. Videos of the incident confirmed a number of protesters carrying the yellow and black Khalistan flag and calling for Amritpal, who is needed by Punjab Police for numerous offences, to be “freed”. The movies confirmed one of many protesters clambering on to a balcony and knocking down the Indian flag from a pole on the entrance of the excessive fee to cheers from the opposite males.

As the British policemen arrived on the scene and prevented the protestors from approaching an entrance of the excessive fee, the group chanted slogans and hurled abuses at Indian officers inside, the movies confirmed.

Intelligence companies earlier mentioned that pro-Khalistan leaders similar to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been declared an “individual terrorist” below the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), has organised demonstrations and on-ground campaigns exterior Indian excessive commissions within the UK, the US, Canada, Germany and different international locations prior to now.

UK based mostly chief of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Paramjit Singh Pamma, can also be identified for organising protests exterior Indian institutions there.

Last week, Union dwelling secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla had flagged the difficulty of misuse of UK’s asylum coverage by such components with Sir Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, whereas asking British authorities to watch their actions.