The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the incident wherein pro-Khalistani protestors vandalised the Indian High Commission in London and pulled down the national flag.
The Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation unit of the Ministry of Home Affairs handed over the case to the NIA a few days ago, reported ANI. The decision to hand over the probe to the NIA came after a meeting with UK representatives last week.
The NIA has reportedly registered an FIR and begun its probe. A case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the officials with the agency will travel to London to investigate a larger conspiracy, which allegedly involves Pakistan's ISI. The team will be led by an officer of Deputy Inspector General Rank.
The incident on March 19 in London, a day after the crackdown on radical preacher Amritpal Singh. Seeking freedom for Amritpal Singh to be "freed", a group of pro-Khalistan protestors marched to the Indian Mission. The videos from the scene showed one of the protesters, identified as Avtar Singh alias Khanda, climbing onto the balcony and pulling down the Indian flag from a pole.
According to the FIR, Khanda led the March and another person, identified as Gurcharan Singh, instigated the mob of around 50-60 persons.
This comes as India last week conveyed its concerns on the misuse of the United Kingdom's asylum status by the pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India.
"The Indian side specifically conveyed its concerns on the misuse of UK’s asylum status by the pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India and requested better cooperation with the UK and increased monitoring of UK based Pro-Khalistan extremists and take appropriate proactive action,” the home ministry said in a statement issued after the 5th India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue (HAD) held in New Delhi.
