NIA: Nabha jailbreak, Bargari case brought gangsters, terrorists together

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

In one of the three terror-gangster nexus cases, which the NIA has been investigating, the agency had filed chargesheet against jailed Lawrence Bishnoi, Canada-based Goldy Brar and 12 others having links with Babar Khalsa International and ISI-backed pro-Khalistan terrorist outfits on March 24.

In the chargesheet, the NIA claimed that the accused hatched a criminal conspiracy to unleash a wave of terror by executing targeted killings since 2015-16, when gangsters and terrorists joined hands.

Highlighting the Bargari agitation of 2015 and Nabha jailbreak of 2016, the NIA claimed that these two brought gangsters and terrorists together.

The NIA said with the backing of the ISI, the elements in the terror-gangster nexus created a web of individuals to get involved in high-profile targeted killings and smuggling of drugs and arms.

The NIA alleged that the Bargari agitation which was launched after the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot in 2015 and subsequent police action on agitators “provided a public space to radical extremists”.

“Many Sikh radicals held a protest in Bargari with the support of pro-Khalistan elements based abroad, in guise of task in the name of religion. They used this opportunity and started their nefarious activities to disturb peace and unity in the state,” a senior NIA official said.

The NIA has also mentioned that Pakistan-based chief of Khalistan Liberation Force Harmeet Singh, who is now no more, was first approached by gangster Dharminder Singh alias Gugni (lodged in Ludhiana) seeking “weapons for the kaum (religion)”.

The NIA added that Gugni had provided weapons to Hardeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh, who embarked on targeted killings with their victims including Brig Jagdish Gagneja (retd), Shiv Sena leaders Durga Das Gupta and Amit Sharma, RSS leader Ravinder Gosain, and some dera followers.

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