NIA spreads its net abroad, files chargesheet against key overseas Khalistani operatives

In a major crackdown against Khalistani operative across the globe the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against three notorious ‘listed individual terrorists’ Harwinder Singh Sandhu@ Rinda , Arshdeep Singh @ Arsh Dala and  Lakhbir Singh Sandhu @ Landa. The chargesheet has been filed against the trio and their six associates linked with banned terror outfits, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).

The chargesheet exposes International nodes of BKI and KTF in recruiting and handling India bases terror operatives and complex fund raising channels.

According to chargesheet, the accused are gangsters turned terrorists and drug smugglers-suppliers are all based abroad, where they have created their own networks of operatives to carry out terror activities in India. They have close contacts with drug smugglers/Khalistani operatives in Pakistan and other countries.

“Through this complex network of operatives based abroad, they have been recruiting, motivating and handling their associates in India to carry out terrorist activities, extortion and cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs into India. They also have linkages with major gangs operating in North India, including local gangsters, organized criminal syndicates and networks,” says chargesheet.

The investigations further revealed a complex mechanism of fund raising for the BKI and KTF. The funds were being routed to India based associates through both, informal channels as well as formal channels with layering and fund provisioning. MTSS or other means were being used in a way so that the identity of the real sender or receiver of funds was completely masked.

NIA is also investigating the links of 16 other absconding and arrested accused associated with the BKI and KTF.

According to the agency a former gangster, Rinda is now a very important BKI member and Khalistani operative. In the year 2018/19, he fled to Pakistan illegally and is currently living there under the patronage of ISI, and is involved in commission of terrorist activities against India. Rinda is involved in various offences like smuggling of arms, ammunition explosives and drugs into Indian territory from Pakistan, recruitment of BKI operatives, murders, raising funds for BKI through extortion, etc. in the states of Punjab and Maharashtra. He has been involved in many terrorist activities, including the RPG attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in May 2022, and was declared as an ‘individual terrorist’ in 2023 by Government of India. Accused Arsh Dala hails from Moga, Punjab who was gangster before leaving for Canada. It was there that he met now slain Hardeep Singh Nijjar the chief of proscribed terrorist organization KTF and joined it. He soon became pivotal in recruitments and arranging funds for KTF through extortion and targeted killing in Punjab, Dala has been declared an ‘individual terrorist’ in 2023 by Indian government.

Similarly Landa hailing from Tarn Taran was small time gangster and left for Canada in 2017. He then came in touch will BKI terrorist Rinda and joined organisation. He has been main accused in a number of terrorist incidents, including RPG attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in May 2022 and RPG attack on Sarhali Police station in Tarn Taran in December, 2022. He was also the mastermind of the conspiracy to kill Punjab Police SI Dilbagh Singh in August, 2022.

Other than notorious trio, other BKI and KTF assets to be named in charge sheet are USA based Harjot Singh, Nabha jail break accused Kashmir Singh Galwaddi who is absconding,  Landa’s brother Tarsem Singh currently based  in Dubai, Australia based Gurjant Singh ,Deepak Ranga and Lucky Khokhar.