Verdict in 1985 Air India Bombing Trial Delivered After 20-Year Wait

Strategic Insights -

The verdict in the 1985 Air India bombing trial was delivered on March 15, marking the end of a 19-month trial that has been one of the most exhaustive and expensive in Canadian history. The trial involved two Canadian Sikhs, Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, who were accused of conspiring to plant suitcase bombs on two aircraft, killing 329 people on board the ill-fated Kanishka flight.

Key Takeaways:

  • The verdict was delivered by Justice Ian Bruce Josephson in a blast-resistant courtroom, bringing an end to a 20-year wait for families of the Air India victims.
  • The two accused, Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, were charged with eight counts of murder and conspiracy, with Malik being 57 years old and Bagri 55 years old at the time of the trial.
  • The trial was a result of a 15-year international probe that was marred by controversies and setbacks, including the revelation that Canada's spy agency inadvertently erased hundreds of hours of taped phone calls between alleged conspirators.
  • Another suspect, Inderjit Singh Reyat, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in February 2003 for his role in the bombing and was jailed for five years.
  • A third suspect, Tarwinder Singh Parma, was the alleged mastermind of the plot, but he died in a 1992 police shootout in India.

Statistics:

  • 329 people lost their lives in the Air India bombing on the Kanishka flight.
  • The trial was one of the most exhaustive and expensive in Canadian history.
  • The investigation into the bombing was renewed in 1995 with an influx of resources and a reward of a million dollars.
  • 19 months was the duration of the trial that ended with the verdict.
  • 57 was the age of Ripudaman Singh Malik at the time of the trial.
  • 55 was the age of Ajaib Singh Bagri at the time of the trial.

Sources:

  • PTI (Press Trust of India), "Verdict in 1985 Air India bombing trial to be delivered on Wednesday", March 15.
  • THROUGH ASIA PULSE, "Verdict in 1985 Air India bombing trial delivered after 20-year wait", no date mentioned.