The evening a controversial radio host was stabbed “within an inch of his life” in Auckland, the man who allegedly came up with the plan and “wanted him gone” asked a friend to carry out the hit as “he was one of the chosen ones”.

Harnek Singh​, also known as Nekki, is a well-known figure in the Sikh community and broadcaster with nearly half a million YouTube subscribers, but not everyone agreed with his views, especially orthodox Sikh’s, prosecutor Luke Radich previously told the jury.

In December 2020, the Crown allege a man with name suppression, so angered about Harnek’s views, came up with a plan to kill Harnek, but got others to carry out the attack.

That man, along with Gurbinder Singh​, Jagraj Singh​ and Jobanpreet Singh​, have all pleaded not guilty to a joint charge of attempted murder. Sukhpreet Singh is charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly helping two of Harnek’s attackers afterwards.

On December 23, 2020, Harnek Singh was driving from his radio studio in Papatoetoe to his home in Wattle Downs.

He didn’t realise at the time, but he was being followed by three vehicles.

As Harnek Singh got close to his driveway he was rammed on the passenger side by a white van.

Jaspal Singh was “one of the chosen ones”, he told the court on Thursday.

Jaspal has previously admitted his part in the attack and is serving a jail sentence. His DNA was found on a knife that was found inside Harnek’s ute.

Jaspal told the court Harnek’s views were opposite to his and others and the temple he attended.

The man with name suppression and Jaspal had known each other for about 13 years.

“We were very close,” Jaspal said.

A week before December 23, Jaspal met the man with name suppression at his house.

“He said he needed him [Harnek] gone and there’d be a bike, stolen car and a gun.”

There’d be a shooter on the back of a bike who would shoot Harnek and then getaway in a car while Jaspal’s role would be a driver, he understood.

“It was basically a hit on Harnek Singh,” Jaspal said.

Jaspal was told the “hit” would be just before Christmas.

“I was shocked at that time.... but he sat down and closed his eyes and said I was one of the chosen ones and I believed him.”

”What he said had a lot of influence, so I obviously said yes.”

On December 23, Jaspal met up with the man who showed him where Harnek’s temple was and what his red ute looked like.

Jaspal was informed the plan was in place and it would happen that day.

Later that evening, Jaspal and Sarvjeet Sidhu, who has also admitted his part in the attack, were told the plan had changed.

“Youse (sic) are the chosen ones, you’ve got to do the service,” the man with name suppression is alleged to have said while patting the pair on their backs.

The pair had been chosen by god, Jaspal was told.

Jaspal and Sarvjeet were given a bag with stolen number plates, knives and bats inside, the court heard.

“I didn’t say anything...I was overwhelmed,” Jaspal said after the prosecutor asked him if he questioned anything.

Jaspal said they thought they were “doing the greater good” for the Sikh community.

“We had to do the job. Nekki had to go, he had to die,” Jaspal said.

Later that evening Jaspal parked up near a park in Papatoetoe with Sarvjeet and Jobanpreet meeting him. 

They changed the number plate on his ute and looked at the knives inside the bag given to them.

During this time Jobanpreet had Harnek’s show on the radio. The trio hopped into Japsal’s ute and drove to Harnek’s temple.

“We were listening to the station at the same time to see when he finished the show.”

Jaspal will continue giveing evidence before Justice Mark Woolford and a jury today.

-Catrin Owen/Stuff.