NIA chargesheets key aide of Landa and gangster Batala in Punjab terror conspiracy case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted Jatinder Singh alias Joti, a key aide of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and dreaded gangster Pavittar Batala in a Punjab terror conspiracy case.

Jatinder, hailing from Gurdaspur district of Punjab, was arrested in the case by the NIA from Mumbai on December 23, 2024.

The NIA had found during the investigation that Jatinder was involved in illegal procurement and supply of firearms from Madhya Pradesh to Punjab-based gangsters.

He was facilitating the supply of weapons to ground operatives of Batala, a close associate of designated individual terrorist Landa.

Batala’s foreign-based associates were coordinating Jatinder’s operations in India. The weapons were being used by Batala’s operatives in Punjab to promote BKI’s criminal-terror activities.

It was further found during the NIA investigations that Jatinder used to procure illegal weapons from a known arms supplier, Baljeet Singh alias Rana Bhai, in Madhya Pradesh. Baljeet had already been arrested and chargesheeted by the NIA.

The accused were using virtual numbers and encrypted applications to avoid detection.

The NIA is investigating the role of Landa as well as of designated terrorist Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and their foreign-based accomplices in the conspiracy.