The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 11 seized illegal arms and ammunition in a crackdown against the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate and others across five States and a union territory.
In connection with three cases, the agency conducted searches at 32 locations in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on Thursday.
The seizures during the operation included two pistols, two magazines and ammunition, along with ₹4.60 lakh in cash, besides documents and digital devices.
The cases relate to the terror activities being carried out by the BKI and the terrorist-gangster networks operating in the country. “Such activities include smuggling and induction of terrorist hardware, such as arms and ammunition, explosives, improvised explosive, etc., across the borders,” said the agency.
“The terror hardware is being used by operatives/members of terror outfits and organised criminal syndicates for carrying out bomb explosions, targeted killings, extortions, funding of terror outfits...in various parts of the country,” it said.
Key conspirators
The NIA had registered the first case suo motu on July 10, 2023, to investigate the activities of the BKI leadership and members. The agency has identified Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa as among the alleged key conspirators involved in hatching terror conspiracies as well as smuggling of arms and ammunition into Punjab.
“They have also been sending funds to their associates through various money transfer service scheme channels for carrying out terrorist acts,” said the agency, adding that searches at 16 locations were carried out in the case.
The second case, in which seven locations were raided, pertains to the organised crime syndicate being run on the alleged directions of Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates, including Goldy Brar, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
“The syndicate has spread its mafia style criminal networks in several States...as well as abroad, in active conspiracy with Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, a ‘designated individual terrorist’. These networks have been involved in many sensational crimes, such as the murders of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, as well as religious and social leaders like Pardeep Kumar, besides large-scale extortions from businessmen and professionals,” the NIA said.
In the third case, the NIA is probing the activities of various proscribed terrorist organisations and criminal gangs based in India and abroad.
