1985 Air India bomber released from Canadian prison

Ottawa: The only person convicted in 1985 Air India bombings has been granted statutory release from the prison.

Inderjit Singh Reyat, a sikh immigrant, was charged with perjury in 2006 for repeatedly lying while testifying in the mass-murder trial alleged co-conspirators Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, who were later acquitted for a lack of evidence.

Mr. Reyat was found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in prison in 2010.

Under the law, the offenders must be granted statutory release after they have served two-thirds of their sentence.

Mr. Reyat has been ordered to live in a half-way house till August 2018, when his perjury will expire. He will have abide by several strict conditions including, having no contact with victims' families or alleged co-conspirators and no political activities.

He must also have counseling to address his violent tendencies.

Reyat was working as a mechanic in westernmost Canada on June 23, 1985 when one bomb exploded in Air India flight 182 near the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people on-board and another bomb exploded at Japan’s Narita airport, killing two baggage handlers as they transferred cargo to another Air India flight.

According to reports, the bombings were a part of the retaliation of Operation Blue Star, army’s operation to drive out militants from Golden Temple in Amritsar.

News24 Bureau