Harpreet Singh, a Ludhiana court blast conspirator, is apprehended by the NIA upon his arrival from Malaysia.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested absconding December 2021 Ludhiana Court building blast conspirator and wanted terrorist Harpreet Singh from Delhi airport soon after his arrival from Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia, the agency said on Friday. An associate of Lakhbir Singh Rode, a Pakistan-based self-styled Chief of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Harpreet was one of the conspirators of the December 2021 Ludhiana Court Building blast alongwith Rode. One dead and six were injured in the massive bomb blast.

Harpreet, a resident of Punjab’s Amritsar district, was arrested on Thursday at Indira Gandhi International Airport here soon after he arrived from Malaysia. The case was initially registered on December 23, 2021, by Punjab Police and NIA re-registered it on January 1 this year. “Investigations revealed that Harpreet Singh alias Happy Malaysia, an associate of Lakhbir Singh Rode, was one of the conspirators of the Ludhiana Court Building blast, alongwith Rode,” said the NIA in a statement. Acting on the directions of Rode, Harpreet coordinated the delivery of the custom-made Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which had been sent from Pakistan to his India-based associates, that was used in the Ludhiana Court Complex blast, said the NIA. Harpreet was also involved and wanted in various cases, including the smuggling of explosives, arms and narcotics.

Earlier, NIA had declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh on Harpreet Singh against whom a non-bailable Warrant from the Special NIA court had been issued and a look-out circular was opened.