Last week the NIA raided around 1,000 locations in Punjab and Haryana (File).
New Delhi:
The NIA has launched a multi-state crackdown on the nexus between criminal syndicates in India and Khalistani separatists and terrorists based in countries like Pakistan and Canada, who use these networks for terror-related activities. Early this morning, the agency raided over 50 locations connected to gangs run by Lawrence Bishnoi and Arshdeep Dalla, whom Delhi Police this week linked to Pak-based terror group Laskar-e-Taiba and rumoured attacks on Hindu leaders in Punjab.
According to the NIA, fugitives likes Dalla and Gaurav Patial are based abroad but remain in close touch with pro-Khalistan individuals to order targeted killings and acts of extortion.
The NIA raids were spread across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the national capital region. In Punjab alone the NIA raided 30 locations. The raids are part of efforts to build a watertight case against the syndicates, most of which are now operated from Dubai. The raids are linked to three cases registered by the NIA in August last year.
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These are against Canada-based Lakhbir Singh alias Landa; Pak-based Harvinder Singh Rinda, and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is based in the United States and is the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice separatist group. On Monday agency sources revealed details of the dossier on Pannun, which says he “wants to create countries (by) dividing India”.
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Cases have also been filed against Bishnoi and gangster bosses Goldy Brar and Vikram Brar, as well as their rivals Bambiha, Kaushal Chaudhary, Neeraj Bawana, Dilpreet, and Sukhpreet alias Budha.
There are also cases against Sunil, alias Tillu Tajpuriya, who was killed – as police stood and watched – inside Delhi’s Tihar Jail in May, and Bambiha, who was shot dead in an encounter in Punjab in 2016.
Of the other bosses, Bishnoi is in jail in Ahmedabad and Dalla is in Canada.
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The NIA last week also seized properties owned by Pannun in Chandigarh and Amritsar under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Pannun, wanted since 2019 on charges of promoting and commissioning terrorist acts, faces 22 criminal cases in Punjab alone, including three of sedition.
Two days before that the agency raided over 1,000 locations across Punjab and Haryana; these were linked to Goldy Brar, who allegedly planned the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
READÂ |Â Sidhu Moose Wala Murder Planned In UP, Weapons Imported From Pak: Sources
Goldy Brar is today among India’s ‘most wanted gangsters’ and is also believed to be behind the killing of rival crime boss Sukha Dunike, who was shot dead in the Canadian city of Winnipeg.
