edited by: nitya thirumalai
Last Update: February 21, 2023, 09:05 IST
The NIA had registered a case against more than 12 gangs on terror charges in August last year. (News18/File)
The NIA is probing the possibility of the Nepal-UP route being used by Pakistan’s ISI to supply arms to gangs in India. The premises of Kulwinder Sandhu, an alleged aide of Lawrence Bishnoi, are also being searched.
The National Investigation Agency is conducting raids at more than 70 locations across the country in connection with the investigation of gangsters from Punjab and Haryana. While 30 locations are being searched in Punjab, several locations in Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-NCR are also being raided by NIA officials.
“Searches are on in the gangster case. Other details are awaited,” an NIA spokesperson confirmed to News18.
This is the fourth round of searches that the agency is conducting against associates, associates and suppliers of Lawrence Bishnoi, Neeraj Bawana, Tillu Tajpuria and other gangs.
Sources told News18 that arms suppliers are being searched in Pilibhit and Pratapgarh of UP. “It is suspected that these suppliers smuggle arms and ammunition through Nepal and supply it to gangs,” a source said.
In Punjab, raids are being conducted in Ferozepur, Bhatinda, Moga, Fazilka, Mukhtar Sahib and Ludhiana. Sources said the cases being raided include the Ludhiana blast case and those related to Lakhbir Singh alias Landa Harike and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) member Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla.
The NIA is probing the possibility of the Nepal-UP route being used by Pakistan’s ISI to supply arms to gangs in India. The NIA had registered a case against more than 12 gangs on terror charges in August last year. After a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, it was decided to treat gangs as terror accused and not ordinary criminals under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Searches are also being conducted at Gandhidham in Gujarat. The premises of Kulwinder Sandhu, an alleged aide of Lawrence Bishnoi, are also being searched. Sandhu is suspected of providing logistic support to Bishnoi. The state police had earlier questioned Bishnoi for providing him accommodation.
An official said that Sandhu, originally from Ludhiana in Punjab, is alleged to be part of an organized drug syndicate that facilitates drug smuggling from Pakistan to Gujarat and Punjab.
Most of the gang leaders are in jail, but their activities continue unabated. The NIA in its investigation so far has aimed at seizing the source of funding and manpower for these gangs. The NIA has so far interrogated at least 12 gangs and their members. Officials said the latest round of raids is based on fresh leads obtained after the interrogation of the main accused.
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