Centre mulls move to cancel OCI cards of Khalistani terrorists, confiscate their properties in India

Sources privy to the matter said that the government has asked the agencies to identify the properties of the terrorists settled abroad

New Delhi: A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of Canada-based ‘designated individual terrorist’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, it is learnt that the government has asked the investigative agencies to identify the properties of other terrorists wanted in India sitting abroad.

Sources privy to the matter said that the government has asked the agencies to identify the properties of the terrorists settled abroad. The source also said that the government has asked the agencies to identify Khalistani terrorists settled in countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia and cancel their Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) so that they don’t come to India.

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The government plan comes a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of Pannun in Chandigarh and Amritsar.

The source said that the step will help the government to choke the finances of these terrorists from India and also not allow them to visit here.

The source said that the government has identified 19 absconding Khalistani terrorists staying in countries like US, UK, Canada, UAE, Pakistan and other countries. Paramjit Singh Pamma, based in UK, Wadhwa Singh Babbar aka Chacha in Pakistan, Kulwant Singh Muthda, UK, JS Dhaliwal, US, Sukhpak Singh, UK, Harriet Singh aka Rana Sungh, US, Sarabjit Singh Benoor, UK, Kulwant Singh aka Kanta, UK, Harjap Singh aka Jappi Dingh, US, Ranjit Singh Neeta, Pakistan, Gurmeet Singh aka Bagga, Gurpreet Singh aka Baaghi, UK, Jasmin Singh Hakimzada, UAE, Gurjant Singh Dhillon, Australia, Jasbit Singh Rode, Europe and Canada, Amardeep Singh Purewal, US, Jatinder Singh Grewal, Canada, Dupinder Jeet, UK and S Himmat Singh in US The source said that their properties will be confiscated under section 33(5) of UA(P)A.

Earlier the security agencies identified a group of 11 individuals, believed to be both gangsters and terrorists, currently residing in Canada, the United States, and Pakistan.

Of these, eight suspects are suspected to be operating from within Canada. The list includes the names of gangsters and terrorists like — Harvinder Sandhu aka Rinda believed to be in Pakistan, Lakhbir Singh aka Landa, Sukhdool Singh aka Sukha Duneke (killed three days ago), Arshdeep Singh aka Arsh Dalla, Ramandeep Singh aka Raman Judge, Charnjit Singh aka Rinku Bihla, Sanawer Dhillon and Gurpinder Singh aka Baba Dalla, all believed to be in Canada.

The list also includes names of gangsters and terrorists like Gaurav Patyal Lucky and Anmol Bishnoi believed to be in US.

The source said that the government’s action will help in dealing with the terrorists who have been staying abroad with OCI cards and choke their movements in India so that they are not able to target the gullible youths for radicalising them to join their movement in India.

The source said that the NIA investigations in Pannun case had revealed that his organisation, Sikhs for Justice, was misusing the cyberspace to radicalise gullible youth and to instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities.

It also emerged during the NIA probe that Pannun was the “main handler and controller of the SFJ”. The SFJ was declared as an ‘Unlawful Association’ by the Government of India, vide notification on July 10, 2019.

Pannun, who was declared a ‘designated individual terrorist’ by the Government of India on July 1, 2020, has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over the social media to fight for the cause of independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, NIA probe had shown.

The source said that the recent attacks on Indian missions in US, UK and other countries have brought the scanner on these terrorists, who have been staying abroad with OCI cards.