Terror case suspect fighting extradition to India to face murder and bombing charges

Paramjeet Singh Saini was detained by Portuguese Immigration and Border Service (SEF) officers at a hotel in the Algarve under an international arrest warrant for extradition issued by Interpol.

Indian authorities allege the father-of-four was involved in the murder of a prominent Sikh politician Rulda Singh in the Punjab in 2009 and a series of bomb attacks in northwest India in 2010.

They claim Mr Saini, who came to the UK from India 13 years ago claiming political asylum, is a leading member of an outlawed Sikh separatist terror group Babbar Khalsa International.

The organisation, which had its international base in the West Midlands, supports an armed struggle for an independent Sikh homeland in India called Khalistan and was banned in the UK under the Anti-Terror Act 2000.

Last night Mr Saini's MP John Spellar, who represents Warley, said his constituent was an Indian national but had indefinite leave to remain in the UK until 2023 after successfully claiming political asylum two years ago.

He said: "I am very concerned about Mr Saini's detention and I have made strong and urgent representations on his behalf to the Foreign Office at a ministerial level.

"Mr Saini has refugee status in the UK and travelled to Portugal on a family holiday using official British documents and under the protection of the British state.

"It's a slightly perverse state of affairs that the Indian government has been able to activate an Interpol red notice and demand Mr Saini's extradition to India to face terror related charges.

"The fact is that the British government granted him political asylum on the basis that he would face persecution and inhumane treatment for his political beliefs if he were to be returned to India.

"How can we now allow that to happen without intervening and requesting that he instead be returned back to the UK?

"He is our responsibility and I will do my utmost to ensure this government does not now abandon him."

Mr Saini was arrested and held by West Midlands Police Counter Terror officers in 2010 following the shooting of a controversial Sikh politician Rulda Singh in Punjab a year earlier.

The delivery driver, who lives with his British citizen wife and four children, was eventually released without charge after an 11-month investigation along with three other West Midland Sikhs.

Mr Spellar said: "The British security agencies carried out a thorough investigation into the murder charge and officers from the Punjab came to the UK to interview Mr Saini.

"No evidence was found against him and he was subsequently successfully granted political asylum. He has consistently completely refuted all the allegations laid against him which he says are politically motivated by India. "

Speaking from Portugal, Mr Saini's wife Pinky Kaur said in a written statement to the Sikh Press Association: "It was really distressing to see Paramjeet taken away without knowing what was happening to him. We know that if he gets taken to India we will never see him again. The UK government let us stay in England because they know what will happen to him if he is arrested.

"I hope the UK government again intervene to stop him being extradited."

Mr Saini appeared before a court in the south Portugal town of Evora on Monday after his arrest just hours after landing in Portugal on Friday.

He was remanded in custody until January 4 when the Indian government is expected to provide evidence against him.

A spokeswoman for Interpol said a red 'wanted' notice had been issued against Mr Saini in 2012 at the request of the Indian government adding it was not a legally binding international arrest warrant.

She said: "A country can exercise its right to ignore the notice which is what the UK government chose to do in Mr Saini's case."

Last night Foreign and Commonwealth officials said the matter had been referred to the Home Office because of Mr Saini's immigration status.