The Modi government provided actionable intelligence to German police through diplomatic channels and made it clear that the onus lay on Berlin in case Mumbai or Delhi is targeted by SFJ terrorists at the behest of Pakistan

The arrest of banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) radical Jaswinder Singh Multani by German police is a culmination of more than 72 hours of hectic diplomacy by the Modi government with Berlin with New Delhi making it clear that it would hold Germany accountable if any bomb blast took place in Mumbai or Delhi.

According to officials based in Berlin and New Delhi, the Modi government provided actionable intelligence to the German embassy in Delhi and back in Berlin to convince the Federal Police about the urgency of the matter. Indian Embassy officials were recalled from their Christmas holidays by top Ministry of External Affairs officials to ensure that the German authorities understand the seriousness of the matter about an impending terror strike on Mumbai. It is understood that Multani had been able to send explosives to Mumbai with a terror team being assembled for the strike. While the SFJ terrorist is currently being interrogated by the German police, Indian security agencies and the MEA are totally tight-lipped on the matter.

The arrest of Multani by German authorities is a huge step in bilateral relations as it will also force countries like the UK and Canada to take action against Sikh separatists, who are being backed by the Pakistani deep state. The inaction on part of the UK and Canada, despite being India’s strategic partners, has convinced Indian security agencies say that these countries with large Sikh populations are trying to fish in troubled waters. Multani recently come to notice of the security agencies for arranging and sending weapons consignments comprising explosives, hand grenades and pistols from across the border with the help of his Pakistan based operatives and arms smugglers. He was planning to carry out terrorist activities in Punjab by using the smuggled consignments.

On February 7, 2021, Punjab police initially arrested four local radical criminal module members belonging to the Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Ferozepur districts. Police also recovered 8 country-made pistols along with 8 magazines and 7 cartridges from them. The module members procured the illegal pistols from MP based Sikligar Sikhs and others for carrying out radical/criminal activities in Punjab. Subsequently, Punjab police arrested another radical criminal, Jeevan Singh of Mansa, who was radicalised and motivated by Multani (on social media to target a key farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of BKU-Rajewal. Multani also sent funds to Jeevan Singh for arranging locally made weapons for targeting Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of BKU-Rajewal being linked with left-wing communist ideology.

In August 2021, Multani motivated and radicalised Saroop Singh from Johal Dhaiwala of the Tarn Taran district. Police arrested Saroop Singh and recovered 2 hand grenades from him. He was contacted on Facebook by a guy from ‘Surrey’, who was in fact Multani. Later, Multani connected with Saroop Singh on WhatsApp. JSM sent money through Western Union and sent two hand grenades (86P) at Amritsar-Harike road (Tarn Taran) from across the border and shared a photo of the location and asked him to collect them.

Two FIRs have been registered against Jaswinder Singh Multani in SAS Nagar and Amritsar. He is closely associated with all the core members of SFJ.