Melbourne, 14 Sep 2014 – Jaskaran Singh Jassa, an accused in the murder case of Burundi national Yannick Nihangaza, who had flown to Australia after he and his accomplices attacked the victim Yannick Nizahnga in 2012, is expected to bring the accused back from Australia shortly, probably on Monday.
Declared a proclaimed offender, accused Jaskaran Singh Jassa had flown to Australia a few days after the attack on Yannick as police had allegedly gone soft against the accused. He was later declared a proclaimed offender by the court, along with another youth Rantaj Singh, while seven of the total nine accused stood trial and were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment by the trial court.
Sources said a special team, comprising Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Staff) Baljit Singh Dhillon and two sub-inspectors that had landed in Australia on September 10, had completed all formalities to extradite Jaskaran.
“Our team along with accused Jaskaran is expected to land here in a day or two. They are reportedly through with all extradition formalities and they are expected to reach Delhi airport on Monday,” a senior police official said.
The police had sought special permission from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs to use plastic handcuffs as a precaution. “We had sought permission to use plastic handcuffs as we don’t want the assailant to slip from custody,” an official said.
The Jalandhar Commissionerate of Police is also expecting a lead about the whereabouts of deceased Punjab Police Superintendent of Police Dharam Singh’s son Rommy Uppal, who had jumped parole five months ago. He too had reportedly fled the country.
Sources said Jaskaran would be formally arrested and produced in the court once he was back.
“Jaskaran’s extradition may prove vital for the police to know Rommy’s whereabouts,” a police official said. The police had even questioned Punjabi singer Garry Sandhu to inquire about Rommy’s whereabouts.
Yannick, who remained in coma for two years after the murderous attack in Jalandhar on April 22, 2012, had died in July this year. He was airlifted to Burundi in an air ambulance from the Patiala Aviation Club on June 16 this year. He was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Lovely Professional University. He was on his way to a party when he was attacked by a group of nine students. Seven of the nine attackers have been sentenced to 10-year imprisonment.