NIA Detains Several People in Crackdown on Criminal Syndicates and Khalistani Terrorists
New Delhi: In a major crackdown on the nexus between criminal syndicates in India and Khalistani separatists and terrorists based in countries like Pakistan and Canada, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) detained several people after conducting raids in multiple states. The raids were aimed at dismantling the networks used by these groups for terror-related activities.
The NIA’s operation, which targeted Canada-based syndicates and criminals, comes at a time when India is involved in a diplomatic row with Ottawa. Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed to have “credible” information connecting “agents of Delhi” to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was a Canadian citizen. However, India has rejected the allegations stating that no evidence has been shared by Canadian authorities.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has highlighted the increase in “organised crime relating to secessionist forces and extremism” in Canada. The recent raids by the NIA have revealed links between criminal gangs in India, including Lawrence Bishnoi and Arshdeep Dalla based in Canada, and terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba.
During the raids, a substantial amount of arms, ammunition, and digital evidence were seized by the NIA. According to the agency, fugitives like Dalla and Gaurav Patial are based abroad but maintain connections with Khalistani terrorists for funding, weapon smuggling, and carrying out anti-national activities.
The raids were conducted in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the National Capital Region. In Punjab alone, the NIA raided 30 locations. These operations are part of the agency’s efforts to build a strong case against these syndicates, which are mostly operated from Dubai and are linked to previous cases filed by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Some of the raids targeted individuals such as Lakhbir Singh alias Landa based in Canada, Harvinder Singh Rinda based in Pakistan, and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun based in the United States. Pannun, the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice separatist group, aims to divide India and create separate countries, as per the dossier shared by sources.
Cases have been filed against other gangsters including Goldy Brar, Vikram Brar, Bambiha, Kaushal Chaudhary, Neeraj Bawana, Dilpreet, Sukhpreet alias Budha, Sunil alias Tillu Tajpuriya, and Bambiha, who were involved in various criminal activities including murder and extortion. Bishnoi is currently in jail in Ahmedabad, while Dalla remains in Canada.
In addition to the raids, the NIA also seized properties owned by Pannun in Chandigarh and Amritsar. Pannun, who has been wanted since 2019 for promoting and commissioning terrorist acts, is facing 22 criminal cases in Punjab, including three of sedition.
Prior to these operations, the NIA conducted raids on over 1,000 locations in Punjab and Haryana, targeting Goldy Brar, who allegedly planned the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, in his recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, emphasized that a nation’s response to terrorism should not be determined by political convenience. This statement is seen as directed towards China and Canada, particularly considering Canada’s influential Sikh community, which is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming general election in 2025.
The investigations are ongoing, and authorities are awaiting further responses and developments in this case.