Ripudaman Malik’s Role in 1985 Kanishka Bombing
Why in the news?
Ripudaman Malik, implicated in the 1985 Kanishka bombing, was acquitted in 2005. Recently, two individuals were sentenced for his 2022 murder. Malik’s involvement with Babbar Khalsa continues to spark discussions on aviation terrorism.
About Kanishka Bombing:
- On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182, traveling from Montreal to London, was bombed over the Atlantic, killing 329 people on board.
- A bomb detonated in the aircraft’s cargo hold, and another exploded prematurely at Tokyo’s Narita Airport.
- Both bombings were linked and orchestrated by the Khalistani separatist group, Babbar Khalsa.
Investigations and Role of Malik:
- Investigations revealed Babbar Khalsa, led by Talwinder Singh Parmar, as the mastermind behind the attack.
- Ripudaman Malik, a key figure and financier of the plot, was arrested along with others in 2000.
- Malik had close ties with Parmar and was linked to Babbar Khalsa, responsible for the bombing as retaliation for Operation Blue Star in 1984.
Trial and Acquittal:
- The trial, beginning in 2003, involved key accused including Malik, Inderjit Singh Reyat, and Ajaib Singh Bagri.
- Reyat, a prosecution witness, pleaded guilty to assembling bomb parts and was sentenced to five years.
- Despite Reyat’s uncooperative testimony and procedural issues, Malik and Bagri were acquitted in 2005.
- Malik’s acquittal was controversial, partly due to unreliable testimony and lapses in Canadian prosecution procedures.
Sources Referred:
PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times