The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on Canada-based chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), who is linked to a conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest in Punjab's Jalandhar last year.

The declaration of reward on the wanted terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a resident of village Bharsinghpur in Phillaur area of Jalandhar, came nearly three weeks after the NIA filed a chargesheet against him and three others in connection with the attack on the priest.

"Nijjar is wanted by the NIA in a conspiracy case hatched by KTF to kill a Hindu priest at Jalandhar. Nijjar is presently residing in Canada and is the Chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF)," the federal agency said in a statement.

It said Nijjar is also promoting a secessionist and violent agenda of Sikhs for Justice in India.

"NIA has declared a Cash Reward of Rs 10 Lakhs against Nijjar...Any information pertaining to the absconding accused leading to his arrest or apprehension, may be shared...the identity of the informer shall be kept secret," the NIA said.

The agency shared telephone, WhatsApp and telegram numbers of its Delhi headquarters and Chandigarh branch office besides email addresses for people to give information about him.

On July Jul 5, the NIA had filed a chargesheet against four persons including Nijjar in connection with a conspiracy to kill Hindu priest Kamaldeep Sharma by KTF at village Bhar Singh Pura, Phillaur in Jalandhar on January 31, last year.

The NIA took over the case on October 8, 2021.

The three others chargesheeted in the case are Kamaljeet Sharma and Ram Singh alias "Sona", who attacked the priest on the directions of Nijjar and his associate Arshdeep Singh alias "Prabh".

According to the NIA, the investigations have revealed the entire conspiracy was hatched by accused Arshdeep and Nijjar, both based in Canada, to disturb peace and disrupt the communal harmony in Punjab by killing a Hindu Priest.