On Monday 21st December three British Sikhs were arrested in West Midlands on suspicion of a murder conspiracy in India in 2009 when Rulda Singh, leader of a political group in India, was fatally shot in Patiala, Punjab.
In a statement, West Midlands Police said, "Three men were arrested by West Midlands Police following extradition warrants issued by Westminster Magistrates. Two men, aged 37 and 40, were arrested in Coventry and a 38-year-old man was arrested in Wolverhampton. They were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to a murder in India in 2009."
The Sikh Press Association published a statement on behalf of the arrested men. It further alleged that the development is linked with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's visit to India earlier this year.
"If the three are extradited they would almost certainly be tortured and have no chance of a fair trial," claimed Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of Sikh Federation UK.
The Babbar Khalsa International had reportedly claimed responsibility for the said attack. This is not the first time that such arrests were made. In 2011, West Midlands Police had arrested four men on similar suspicions from Smethwick, Wolverhampton, and Coventry.
The recent arrests followed early morning raids on extradition warrants executed by West Midlands Police and all three were granted bail at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London under "strict conditions".
The trio are now expected to undergo proceedings to be extradited to India, with some separatist Sikh groups in the UK claiming that an order for such proceedings has been signed off by Home Secretary Priti Patel.
