NIA Court Grants 2-Day Remand for Harvinder in VHP Leader Killing Case
NIA court grants 2-day transit remand to Harvinder Kumar, deported from UAE, in the VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar target killing case.
A Special NIA Court at Rouse Avenue has granted a two-day transit remand for Harvinder Kumar, also known as Sonu, to the Chandigarh NIA unit. The arrest comes after his deportation from the UAE, linking him to the high-profile target killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar.
Special Judge (NIA) Prashant Sharma ordered the remand to ensure the accused is produced before the relevant NIA court in Chandigarh this Friday. Harvinder was apprehended by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) immediately upon his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport following his deportation on Thursday.
The Conspiracy Behind the April Killing
The investigation traces the roots of this crime back to April 2024, when Vikas Prabhakar was killed in Roop Nagar, Punjab. While the case was initially registered as an FIR in Amritsar under Section 302, the Central Government subsequently transferred the investigation to the NIA. The agency registered a fresh case on May 9, 2024, focusing on the involvement of the banned organisation, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
According to the NIA, the conspiracy to eliminate the VHP leader was allegedly orchestrated by BKI operatives Harjit Singh (alias Laddi) and Kulbeer Singh (alias Sidhu), who are based in Germany. The agency's findings suggest a sophisticated international network was used to execute the hit.
Role of the UAE-Based Accused
The NIA has identified Harvinder Kumar as a vital cog in the terror machinery. Operating from the UAE, he allegedly served as a key logistics provider and financier for the BKI operatives stationed abroad. His alleged roles included:
- Recruitment and Handling: Acting as a handler for operatives and a recruiter for the conspiracy.
- Logistics and Weapons: Arranging weapons and facilitating their delivery to the shooters involved in the killing.
- Terror Funding: Receiving and transferring terror funds as directed by the Germany-based conspirators.
This arrest follows the previous capture of another UAE-based accused, Manveer Ram. Manveer was intercepted at Amritsar Airport on August 13 and is alleged to have been responsible for supplying the specific weapons used in the assassination of Vikas Prabhakar.