Perjury trials in Air India ‘Kaniska’ bombing case
By ANIThursday, March 4, 2010
Vancouver,BC - Air India bombing case, the bloodiest unsolved crime in Canadian history, will be back in the spotlight on Wednesday with the start of jury selection for a trial on the rare charge of perjury against Inderjit Singh Reyat.
Reyat was the only person jailed in the killing of 329 passengers in the Air India bombing and released last year.
The Air India Kanishka flight 182 from Montreal to Delhi was blown off mid-air near the Irish coast in June 1985. All 329 passengers, mostly Indian Canadians were killed.
. Reyat faces one count of perjury for allegedly testifying falsely in September 2003, at the trial of mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri and businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik.
Malik and Bagri were on trial for their alleged role as co-conspirators in a plot to blow up Air India planes organized by Vancouver-based Sikh ultras fighting for Khalistan, the Globe and Mail reports.
Reyat is accused of telling the court under oath, with the intent to mislead, that he did not know or recall details of the alleged conspiracy beyond a few matters, said Neil MacKenzie, a spokesman for the Crown counsel’s office.
Crown counsel alleges he lied 27 times during his testimony in court.
On June 22, 1985, homemade bombs were placed on two flights leaving Vancouver in opposite directions. The bombs exploded hours later on opposite sides of the world, killing 331 people. Malik and Bagri were acquitted of the charges after being held in custody for five years.
The perjury trial is slated to stretch over two weeks, beginning on Monday. (ANI)
