FICOM is against Sikhs, says Malik

May 18th, 2006 by admin

B.C, Canada (KP)  -  Last Friday, the B.C Supreme Court found that the Financial Institution Commission (FICOM) of B.C did not give adequate reasons for its removal of Ripudaman Singh Malik from his position on the board of the Surrey-based Khalsa Credit Union for alleged terrorist connections.

The vindicated Ripudaman Singh Malik proclaimed this ruling is evidence that FICOM is against Sikhs.

“FICOM is against the Sikh community and its success,” Malik told The Leader in an interview Monday.

Although this decision is in his favour, it will not mean Malik’s immediate reinstatement into the board because it comes after the April election of a new board of directors for the controversy-plagued financial institution and thus no vacant seats are available at the moment.

Malik, the millionaire founder of the credit union, stepped down from the board when he and Ajaib Singh Bagri were charged with conspiracy in connection to the 1985 Air India bombings that killed 331 people.

After the two men were acquitted, Malik was reinstated to the credit union.

In the written removal order, FICOM stated, “Malik was a member of Babbar Khalsa International, a designated terrorist group, and there is no evidence to demonstrate that he is no longer a member.”

Babbar Khalsa is on Canada’s list of designated terrorist groups, which Malik denies being an associate of.

“I am not a member, I have never been a member,” Malik told The Leader. When asked why he signed membership papers several years ago, Malik stated, “I sign lots of things – it was a letter of support.”

FICOM also said Malik gave false or misleading information during the Air India trial about his net worth to minimize his defence bill.

In overturning the order, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that FICOM should have held a hearing to give Malik a chance to defend himself against those claims before removing him from the board.

Editors can be reached at: editors@panthic.org

Source: The Panthic Weekly (www.panthic.org)

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