NIA conducts searches in Punjab and Haryana to unearth terrorist-gangster nexus

Bhatinda, May 17: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted extensive searches across 12 districts in Punjab on Wednesday as part of their ongoing investigation into cases involving the nexus between terrorists, narcotics smugglers, and gangsters. 

The raids targeted a total of six to eight different locations in Moga, as well as various areas in Ferozepur and Bathinda. The NIA, in close coordination with state police forces, launched these operations early Wednesday, targeting premises and other places linked to the suspects. As of now, the raids are still ongoing, indicating the seriousness of the investigation.

One notable search took place at the residence of an individual named Kokhar in the Chandsar township of Bathinda. Kokhar is believed to be involved in the terror-narcotics smugglers-gangsters nexus and is likely to be arrested by the NIA.

These raids are a part of the broader investigation related to three separate cases registered by the NIA last year under the RC 37, 38, 39/2022/NIA/DLI designations. The search operation spans over 100 locations across six states, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, all of which are associated with the terror-narcotics smugglers-gangsters nexus.

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On January 25 of this year, the NIA had already made a significant arrest in the case RC-37/2022/NIA/DLI. They apprehended Deepak Ranga, the main shooter involved in the RPG attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in May 2022. Ranga was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur. He had close associations with notorious gangsters-turned-terrorists Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, based in Canada, and Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, based in Pakistan.

Deepak Ranga's involvement extended beyond the RPG attack. He was connected to several other violent terrorist and criminal offenses, including acts of violence resulting in fatalities. Ranga had been actively receiving financial and logistical support from Rinda and Landa, highlighting the complex network of terror funding and support operations.

The NIA took up the case on September 20, 2022, after uncovering evidence of international terrorist outfits collaborating with organized criminal gangs operating in northern states of India. Their collaboration involved carrying out targeted killings and other violent criminal activities.

The investigation further revealed the involvement of the terror-gangster-drug smuggler network in smuggling various terrorist hardware, such as arms, ammunition, explosives, IEDs, and more. This illicit trade was facilitated through an extensive inter-state network involving gun runners, illegal arms manufacturers and suppliers, and explosive traffickers.

Since the registration of the three criminal cases against this terror-gangster-drug smuggler network, the NIA has already made significant progress. They have arrested 19 leaders and members of various organized criminal gangs, along with two arms suppliers and a major financier associated with the network. These arrests have been made under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Notably, Arsh Dalla, a Canada-based individual, has been designated as an 'individual terrorist' by the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 9 of this year, underscoring the gravity of the network's activities and their transnational connections.

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