NIA special court declares 6 gangster-turned-terror operatives proclaimed offenders

NIA court here has declared six gangster-turned-terrorist mafia operatives, based out of Canada and Pakistan, as proclaimed offenders

New Delhi: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here has declared six gangster-turned-terrorist mafia operatives, based out of Canada and Pakistan, as proclaimed offenders.

The six NIA accused declared Proclaimed Offenders are Canada-based Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, Ramandeep Singh alias Raman Judge, Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa; and Pakistan-based Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, Lakhbir Singh Rode and Wadhawa Singh Babbar.

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NIA had, on July 22 this year, filed a charge sheet against nine accused persons, including Dala, Landa and Rinda.

A case was registered suo-moto by the NIA on August 20 last year. It relates to terror activities of Chiefs/members of proscribed pro-Khalistan terrorist organizations, such as Khalistan Liberation Force, Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation.

They, along with operatives and members of terror outfits and organized criminal gangs operating in various parts of the country, were engaged in smuggling of terrorist hardware, including arms, ammunition, explosives, and custom-made ready-to-use IEDs and other types of contraband, including drugs, from across-the-border, said the NIA.

“Investigations have revealed that the accused persons had entered into a criminal conspiracy to smuggle terrorist hardware, such as arms, ammunition explosive, IEDs etc. across international borders for use by their associates in carrying out terrorist acts in the Indian territory. They were also involved in recruitment of terrorist cadres in India and raising funds for proscribed organizations.”