NIA raids 50 sites in three states, Delhi-NCR

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency on Monday carried out mega-raids at 50 locations across northern India to crack down on gangs and crime syndicates in India and abroad.

These locations included sites in Delhi, the National Capital Region, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to dismantle and disrupt the emerging nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers-traffickers based in India and abroad, senior NIA officials said.

The Central anti-terror agency move came in a case related to narco-terrorism by alleged gangsters, some of whom were involved in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.

“The searches were conducted at 50 locations  in Fazilka, Fairdkot, Mukhtsar sahib, Moga, Taran Taran, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Mohali districts of Punjab, East Gurgaon, Bhiwani, Yamuna Nagar, Sonipat and Jhajjar districts of Haryana, Hanumangarh and Ganganagar districts of Rajasthan and Dwarka, Outer North, North West, North East and Shahdara districts of Delhi-NCR,” the probe agency said in a statement.

The premises of Goldy Brar, who has fled to Canada, Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Varinder Pratap alias Kala Rana, Kala Jathedi, Vikram Brar, Gaurav Patyal alias  Lucky Patyal who was  earlier arrested in Armenia, Neeraj Bawana, Koushal Chaudhary, Tillu Tajpuria, Amit Dagar, Deepak Kumar  alias  Tinu, Sandeep  alias  Bandar, Umesh  alias Kala, Irfan, alias  Cheenu Pahalwan, Ashim alias Hashim Baba, Sachin Bhanja and their associates were  also raided in this connection.

The Central probe agency also said that during the searches, six pistols, one revolver, one shotgun, were seized, along with ammunition, while drugs, cash, incriminating documents, digital devices, details of benami property, threat letters, etc. have also been seized by the NIA sleuths.

 The anti-terror probe agency has been probing a case of the alleged involvement of gangs in Punjab in smuggling drugs from Pakistan and the money being pumped into terror-related activities while some accused were also connected with the murder of Punjabi singer Moosewala, which has been being probed by the Punjab police.

The agency took over an investigation after the Delhi police special cell registered two FIRs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against 10 gangsters who belong to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Bambiha gang and the Neeraj Bawana gang.

The recent sensational crimes and extortion calls by criminal syndicates and gangsters to businessmen and professionals, including doctors, had created widespread scare among the people, officials in the agency said. These gangs were using cyberspace to publicise these crimes to create terror among the public at large, the officials said.

The NIA investigations also revealed that such criminal acts were not isolated local incidents but there was a deep-rooted conspiracy amongst terrorists, gangsters and drug smuggling cartels and networks, who were operating from both within and outside the country.

Many gang leaders and members had fled from India and were now operating from foreign countries, including Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, the probe agency's statement said.

While ongoing probes by the NIA in cases investigated by the agency, like the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh in Punjab, also  revealed most of these conspiracies were being hatched from inside jails of different states and were being executed by an organised network of operatives based overseas.

Describing the modus operandi, agency officials revealed these gangs were carrying out targeted killings, including those of prominent people, to terrorise the general public to extort money for running and promoting their criminal syndicates and activities. These gangs were also raising funds to carry out such criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons, they added.

 Moosewala was killed in Mansa on May 29 when he, along with his friend and cousin, was travelling in a jeep to Jawahar Ke village. A day earlier, the Punjab police pruned his security cover on a temporary basis. Goldy Brar, who is a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, had claimed the responsibility for the murder.