NIA conducts raids across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan in narco-terrorism case involving gangsters

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 12

The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA today said that it has conducted raids at 50 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi/ NCR region to dismantle and disrupt the emerging nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers/traffickers based in India and abroad.

It is to be noted here that the NIA crackdown followed the launch of investigations against the nexus by the NIA after the re-registration of two cases, earlier registered by Delhi Police under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act – UAPA on August 26.

In the ongoing efforts to dismantle these transnational terror and crime networks, the agency sleuths conducted searches “at 50 locations in Chandigarh, Fazilka, Fairdkot, Muktsar, Moga, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Mohali districts in Punjab, East Gurugram, Bhiwani, Yamuna Nagar, Sonepat and Jhajjar districts of Haryana; Hanumangarh and Ganganagar districts of Rajasthan; and Dwarka, Outer North, North West, North East and Shahdara districts of Delhi”, the NIA said.

“Searches were conducted today morning at the premises of Goldy Brar (Canada), Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Varinder Pratap alias Kala Rana, Kala Jathedi, Vikram Brar, Gaurav Patyal alias Lucky Patyal (who was earlier arrested in Armenia), Neeraj Bawana, Koushal Chaudhary, Tillu Tajpuria, Amit Dagar, Deepak Kumar alias Tinu, Sandeep alias Bandar, Umesh alias Kala, Irfan alias Cheenu Pahalwan, Ashim alias Hashim Baba, Sachin Bhanja and their associates,” the NIA said in the statement.

“During the searches, six pistols, one revolver, one shotgun, were seized, along with ammunition. Apart from the above, drugs, cash, incriminating documents, digital devices, details of benami property, threat letters, etc. have also been seized,” the NIA said.

The NIA further said that preliminary investigations have revealed that these gangs were carrying out targeted killings, including those of prominent people, to terrorise the general public to extort money for running and promoting their criminal syndicates and activities. These gangs were also raising funds to carry out such criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons, it added.

“A few of the most desperate gang leaders and their associates based in India and abroad, who are spearheading and carrying out such terror and criminal activities were identified and booked,” the NIA said.

It further said, “The recent sensational crimes and extortion calls by criminal syndicates and gangsters to businessmen, professionals including doctors etc., had created a widespread scare among the people.”

These gangs were using cyber-space to publicise these crimes to create terror among the public at large, it said, adding that the investigations also revealed that such criminal acts were not isolated local incidents but there was “a deep rooted conspiracy amongst terrorists, gangsters and drug smuggling cartels and networks, operating from both within and outside the country,” the NIA alleged.

“Many gang leaders and members had fled from India and were now operating from foreign countries, including Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, etc.,” it said.

“The ongoing probes by the NIA in cases, such as the killing of Shaurya Chakra Awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh in Punjab also revealed that most of these conspiracies were being hatched from inside jails of different states and were being executed by an organised network of operatives based abroad,” the NIA noted, adding that further investigations would continue to dismantle these terror networks as well as their funding and support infrastructure.

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