2 KTF deportees charged in terror recruitment case

New Delhi, November 11

The National Investigation Agency has filed a supplementary chargesheet against four persons in the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) recruitment and arms smuggling case.

Arsh Dalla link

• 4 persons named in the supplementary chargesheet
• Canada-based terrorist Arsh Dalla allegedly recruited the four accused into the KTF
• Twelve other KTF members and their associates are also under lens in the case

The chargesheet was filed before a special NIA court here on Friday against Amritpal Singh, alias Ammy, and Amrik Singh, both deported from the Philippines, and Jassa Singh and Gagandeep Singh, alias Mithi, sources said. The agency earlier had filed a chargesheet against nine accused in the case on July 22.

Apart from this, 12 other persons are under investigation for their role and involvement in the terror conspiracy, and also their links with terrorist outfits KTF and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), NIA sources said.

It said that a “listed individual terrorist”, Canada-based Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh Dalla, in association with accused Manpreet Singh, alias Peeta, had indoctrinated and recruited Amritpal, Amrik, Jassa and Gagandeep into his terrorist group.

Operating from the Philippines, Amritpal and Amrik were actively engaged in recruiting youngsters. Their activities extended to smuggling of arms and explosives from Pakistan as well as carrying out extortion and subsequently channelising the extortion proceeds for terrorist activities, the sources said. During the course of the investigation, the NIA successfully got Amritpal and Amrik deported from the Philippines, sources said, adding that “the chargesheeted accused persons played a pivotal role, at the behest of Arsh Dalla, in a larger conspiracy, primarily focused on raising funds for the proscribed KTF”.

They also informed that Arshdeep and his arrested accomplice Manpreet arranged for the recruitment of potential members, forming terrorist gangs in Punjab, and carrying out targeted killings and firings at the residences of potential victims, coercing them into complying with their extortion demands.