31 May 2013

Terrorism case against NZ man dropped

12:47 pm on 31 May 2013

The case against a prominent New Zealand Sikh arrested in India earlier this year on terrorism charges has been dismissed.

The Sikh Council says Manpreet Singh, who is a New Zealand citizen, will be released from prison on Friday.

The 69-year-old was taken into custody on arrival in Delhi in March over charges relating to a jailbreak in the 1980s.

Sikh Council president Daljit Singh says Mr Singh was previously acquitted of the charges, but had failed to sign paperwork making it official before he left India for New Zealand more than 20 years ago.

He said he spoke on Thursday with Manpreet Singh who was thankful to the New Zealand Government and relieved the case is almost over.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it understands the case has been dropped and is waiting to get further confirmation from the High Commission in Delhi.

Manpreet Singh, who moved to Australia 18 months ago, plans to stop in Auckland on his way home from India to thank supporters there.