NIA Arrests Six People In Gangster-Terrorist Nexus Raids

The arrested people are associates of gangsters including Lawrance Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Goldy Brar, the agency said.

The NIA investigations have so far revealed that many criminals, who were leading gangsters in India, had fled to countries like Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Philippines and Australia.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested six people in connection with the Gangster-terrorist case. The arrests came after the NIA carried out raids at 76 locations in eight states on Tuesday to bust the nexus.

Those arrested include Khalistani terrorist Lucky Khokhar alias Denis, who is a close associate of Canada-based ‘designated terrorist’, Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, according to NIA.

Others arrested in the raids, which were carried out in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, included associates of gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Goldy Brar.

Khokhar, a resident of Bhatinda, Punjab, was nabbed from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, on Tuesday. He was in direct and frequent touch with Arsh Dalla and had carried out recruitment for him. Khokhar received funds from him for carrying out terror-related activities, the  NIA spokesperson said.

"He had provided arms and ammunition to Arsh Dalla's associates in Punjab on his directions, which were also used for carrying out the recent killing in Jagraon, Punjab on directions of Dalla," the spokesperson  said.

According to the spokesperson, Khokhar was working for Dalla, who has been involved in smuggling arms, ammunition, explosives, and IEDs across international and inter-state borders in India for several Khalistani terror outfits, including the Khalistan Liberation Force, Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation.

Besides Khokhar, the NIA also arrested Lakhvir Singh, Harpreet, Dalip Bishnoi, Surinder alias Chiku Chaudhary and Hari Om alias Titu.

“While Titu was arrested on Tuesday, Lakhvir Singh was nabbed a day later in connection with a case registered against them and their associates in August last year for allegedly attempting to motivate and recruit youth for terror activities by using social media. They were also using social media to 'publicise' their crimes in a bid to create fear among the general public," the spokesperson  said.

A total of nine weapons were recovered from Lakhvir's possession. He is a notorious criminal and an associate of Chhotu Ram Bhaat, who was earlier arrested in the case. The NIA has so far arrested nine accused, including Kaushal Choudhary, Amit Dagar, Sukhpreet Singh, Bhupi Rana, Neeraj Bawana, Naveen Bali and Sunil Balyan, in this case.

According to the spokesperson, Surender Chaudhrary and Dalip Bishnoi, are known associates of gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Canada-based criminal Goldy Brar. They were arrested for raising funds, recruiting youth and carrying out terrorist acts on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

This case was also registered by the NIA in August last year and ten accused, including Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Kala Jatheri, Kala Rana, Joginder Singh, Rajesh Kumar Raju Basoudi, Anil Chippi, Naresh Yadav, and Shahbaz Ansari were arrested.

"Surinder Chaudhry, who was arrested on Tuesday faces several cases under the NDPS Act, for the attempt to murder and extortion. He has been involved in illegal liquor contracts, smuggling and extortion from liquor and mining contractors in Haryana and has been one of the main financiers of terror-gangster syndicates," the spokesperson said.

Dalip Bishnoi, who was arrested on Wednesday, is a habitual criminal having 13 cases against him. He has been one of the main financiers of this terror gang and was providing logistics support to the gangs in Punjab and Rajasthan.

This case was also registered by the NIA in August 2022 and 10 accused, including Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Kala Jatheri, Kala Rana, Joginder Singh, Rajesh Kumar, Raju Basoudi, Anil Chippi, Naresh Yadav, and Shahbaz Ansari have been arrested, the spokesperson said.

The NIA investigations have so far revealed that many criminals, who were leading gangsters in India, had fled to countries like Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Philippines and Australia and were planning their terror and criminal acts from there, in association with criminals lodged in jails in different states. These groups were carrying out targeted killings and raising funds for their nefarious activities through the smuggling of drugs and weapons, hawala and extortions.

Further investigations are on to dismantle such terror networks, according to the agency.