Extremists ran campaign against Ripudaman Malik, man acquitted in 1985 Air India bombing: Report

Ottawa [Canada], July 19 : Amid the unresolved mystery over the assassination of Ripudaman Malik, man acquitted in 1985 Air India bombing, sources claim that Malik was on the hit list of two extremists who orchestrated a campaign by spreading rumours that Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) printed by him had mistakes.
Malik was acquitted in the 1985 Air India terrorist bombing case. A bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182 "Kanishka" from Canada off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985, killing 329 passengers and crew. This included over 280 Canadian citizens including 29 entire families and 86 children under the age of 12.
The enmity of the extremists, Moninder Boyle and Hardeep Singh Nijjar, with Malik goes back to 2019 when Malik started printing of SGGS at his printing press after obtaining a written permission from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Citing mistakes in Malik's printing of SGGS, both Boyle and Nijjar demanded for permission granted for printing be revoked forthwith.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh budging under pressure and that of Dhumma group issued a diktat asking the British Gurdwaras Council to take into possession the printed copies of the SGGS from Malik's premises.
Nijjar and Boyle lost no time in taking the action and took into their possession about 20+ 'Saroops' (Physical copy of the Guru Granth Sahib) and brought them to the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple. Printing machines were also brought along.
But when it was found that there were no mistakes in the printing of the 'Saroops', Nijjar and Boyle were asked to return the printing machines but they refused to do so.
Another issue that irked the duo of Nijjar and Boyle was the proposed visit of the Jathedar Akal Takht to Malik's place in June this year.
Moninder Boyle wrote a letter to the Jathedar on June 13, 2022 using derogatory and demeaning language against the Jathedar virtually accusing him of siding with guilty of the 'Panth' Ripudaman Singh Malik as they feared that Malik might again be granted permission to print the 'Saroops'.
The duo also accused the Jathedar of creating a divide in the Sikh community of Canada by visiting Malik.
The fact is that Jathedar was left with no option but to cancel his visit to Malik's place so as to avoid any untoward incident. Besides the said letter of Boyle, this was also testified by Malik himself in two of his interviews given to Sameer Kaushal of Sher-E-Punjab Radio and Kuldip Singh of Sanjha TV.
Malik in these interviews openly accused Nijjar and Boyle of working against the interests of the Sikh maryada and community. He had even called them "Bullish" while accusing them of disrespecting the Jathedar.
Pertinent to mention that Gurwinder Singh Dhaliwal, a close associate of Nijjar, Gurpreet Singh Sahota, a TV host at 'Punjabi Channel' run by Parry Dulay and Ranjit Singh Khalsa aka 'Kaala' of Sri Kalgi Dhar Gurdwara, Abbotsford also were in the forefront in the campaign against Malik.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Police investigating the murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik have identified the vehicle linked to the targeted killing.
On Friday, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team released a video of a white Honda CRV driving through the area a little while before the 75-year-old Malik was found shot there, according to CBC News.
Ripudaman was shot dead in Surrey in Canada's British Columbia province on Thursday morning.
Confirming the news, Jaspal Singh, Brother-in-Law of Malik, told ANI, "We are uncertain about who killed Ripudaman. His younger sister is on her way to Canada."
Malik was one of the persons who was accused of playing a crucial role in the bombing of Air India Flight 182 Kanishka.
Ripudaman Malik was allegedly associated with Babbar Khalsa, a terrorist outfit responsible for many terrorist incidents in Punjab and was also a close associate of Talwinder Singh Parmar, the alleged mastermind of the Air India bombing.
Babbar Khalsa is an international terrorist organisation and banned by several countries including the US, Canada and India.
Malik and his co-accused, Ajaib Singh Bagri, were acquitted in 2005 of mass murder and conspiracy charges. Notably, Malik spent four years in prison before his acquittal and later asked for USD 9.2 million as legal fees, however, a British Columbia judge rejected his claims for compensation.
The terrorist bombing of the AI Flight 182 remains the worst terrorist attack on Canada to date. The majority of the victims were Canadians, and the bombing was the result of a conspiracy conceived, planned and executed in Canada.