32 Locations In 6 States Part of Raid
Lucknow: As part of its nationwide crackdown against the activities of banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and the Lawrence Bishnoi crime syndicate, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out raids at five UP cities and seized illegal arms and incriminating documents.
A total of 32 locations in the six states of UP, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi as well as the UT of Chandigarh, were raided by NIA teams. The seizures included two pistols, two magazines and ammunition along with Rs 4.60 lakh cash, besides documents and digital devices.
In UP, raids were carried out at one place each in Baghpat, Bareilly, Pratapgarh, Bulandshahr and Pilibhit.
The early morning raid by NIA was in connection with three cases related to the terror activities being carried out by BKI, and the terrorist-gangster networks operating in the country.
Such activities, include smuggling and induction of terrorist hardware like arms and ammunition, explosives, IEDs, across the borders. The terror hardware is being used by operatives/members of terror outfits and organized criminal syndicates for carrying out explosions, targeted killings, extortions, terror funding in various parts of the country.
Sources said the crackdown involved raids at 16 locations in cases related to the activities of chiefs/members of BKI.
NIA, which had registered the case suo moto on July 10, 2023, has identified Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa as among the key conspirators involved in hatching terror conspiracies as well as smuggling of arms and ammunition in Punjab.
They have also been sending funds to their associates through various MTSS channels for carrying out terrorist acts, as per NIA investigations.
Also, seven locations were raided for running crime syndicate on the directions of Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates, including Goldy Brar, under UAPA.
The syndicate has spread its mafia style criminal networks in several states of the country as well as abroad, in conspiracy with Rinda, a ‘designated individual terrorist’. These networks have been involved in many sensational crimes like murders of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala as well as religious and social leaders like Pardeep Kumar, besides large-scale extortions.
The third case in which raids were conducted relates to various proscribed terrorist organisations/criminal gangs based in India and abroad, which have been involved in hatching terror and criminal conspiracies in various parts of the country.
