Vancouver, July 01, 2004
GlobeandMail

Air-India defendant Ripudaman Singh Malik had a $2-million line of credit with the State Bank of India at the time of the twin bombings that killed 331 people in 1985, his trial heard yesterday.

Sikh leaders had called for a boycott of both the state bank and Air-India after the Indian government sent troops into the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion in June of 1984, defence lawyer Richard Fernyhough told the court.

However Mr. Malik's clothing business had a line of credit with the state bank from March 21, 1984, to May 25, 1988. If Mr. Malik felt strongly enough about the invasion to be involved in a scheme to blow up Air-India planes, it's questionable whether he would continue to be involved with the bank, Mr. Fernyhough said after submitting Mr. Malik's bank documents as evidence.

The court case, which has heard testimony so far from 106 witnesses, will continue Monday.