PATIALA: Two close aides of a terrorist belonging to Babbar Khalsa International Jagtar Singh Hawara who is main accused of assassination of chief minister Beant Singh were granted bail Thursday by the additional sessions judge of Patiala, Kuldeep Singh.

Baljit Singh alias Bhau and Jasbir Singh alias Jassa who were arrested from different places in them month of June 2005. Both were charged under sections 121-A, 124-A, 153-A, 467, 468, 471, 120-B, 212, 216 of IPC and section 25 of arms act for carrying weapons without license.

BS Sodhi defence counsel said that on the orders of High court of November 13, has directed the trial court that they (Bhau and Jassa) should not be tried under sections 121A, 124A and 153A of IPC, as those offences were not made out against them.

Following high court orders defence counsel on November 17, last week, moved an application for bail. Today on hearing arguments the court granted bail on the condition of furnishing one surety of Rs. one lakh and personal bond of the same amount by both the accused.

It was alleged that Baljit Singh had started as a parking contractor in Chandigarh and has a checkered criminal record. Baljit, son of an Army officer, was first booked for an economic offence by the Chandigarh police in 1994 when he failed to execute a parking contract for the PGI. "Then he was booked for rioting in Patiala in 1997. He
surrendered in 2001 and was sent to Burail Jail where he came in contact with Hawara. Baljit came out of the jail in 10 months and got involved with the Tota gang of Chandigarh with whom he indulged in a highway dacoity in 2003."

"Hawara, following his escape from the jail, contacted Baljit in July, 2004. Hawara started having regular meetings with Baljit, Gurdip and Sukhdev Singh and declared Baljit as the area commander of the BKI for Patiala, Sirhind and Sangrur.

Baljit was allegedly instrumental in getting Hawara married to a minor girl of a village in Dhuri, introducing Hawara as Sahib Singh, his NRI brother from California. It was also alleged that Baljit Singh arranged for a house for Hawara in Ahlowal road where he shifted on May 7, 2005.