NEW DELHI, India: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recently made a significant arrest in connection to the violent attack on the Indian high commission in London that occurred last year. The key suspect, identified as Inderpal Singh Gaba, a British resident from Hounslow, UK, was apprehended in Delhi upon his arrival based on a lookout circular previously issued against him.
This development marks a significant step for the agency, as it is the first time a British resident has been arrested by the NIA for a crime that occurred outside of India’s jurisdiction in the UK. The arrest underscores the increasing coordination between law enforcement agencies of both countries in combating transnational crimes and threats to Indian interests overseas.
According to a senior officer, the arrest of the suspect is not only a step towards justice but also serves as a deterrent against any future breaches of security or disrespect to Indian symbols abroad. The NIA’s investigation has uncovered a larger conspiracy behind the violent incidents that took place in London and aims to prevent similar attacks on Indian missions and officials in the future.
The attacks on the Indian high commission in London, which involved criminal trespass, desecration of the Indian flag, damage to public property, and assaults on officials, were allegedly orchestrated in retaliation to actions taken by Punjab Police against a pro-Khalistan separatist. The Indian government responded strongly to the incident by summoning the highest-ranking diplomat at the UK high commission in London to seek an explanation for the security lapse.
In an effort to unravel the full extent of the conspiracy behind the attack, the NIA sent a team to the UK for further investigation and carried out crowdsourcing of information to identify and gather details about the individuals and entities involved in the incident. The agency issued lookout circulars for several suspects and initiated a manhunt to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
Moreover, the NIA conducted raids in Punjab and Haryana to gather more evidence related to the March attack and seized digital data containing crucial information about the accused individuals. The agency remains committed to holding all perpetrators, their associates, and supporters accountable, both within India and abroad, for their involvement in the heinous attack on the Indian high commission in London.