National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches and raids at 72 locations in several states, including in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The massive raids were carried out in connection with cases registered by NIA against gangster and their criminal syndicate.
The NIA registered the case in 2022 after it emerged that terrorist outfits and terror elements based abroad were operating in tandem with leaders and members of organised criminal gangs in northern states of the country to commit targeted killings and violent criminal acts.
It had emerged that the terror-gangster-drug smuggler network was also engaged in smuggling terrorist hardware such as arms, ammunition, explosives and IEDs across border through a widespread inter-state network of gunrunners, illegal arms and ammunition manufacturers and suppliers and explosive traffickers.
NIA declares Rs 15 lakh reward for info about Canada-based Sandhu
On February 15, a cash reward of Rs 15 lakh was announced by the NIA for information leading to the arrest of Canada-based gangster-turned-terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias 'Landa', who is wanted in connection with terror cases in Punjab, officials said.
"A cash reward of Rs 15 lakh is announced for any information leading to arrest of Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias 'Landa'," the official spokesperson of the agency said, adding the identity of the informer will be kept secret.
A resident of Tarn Taran in Punjab, Sandhu, believed to be residing in Edmonton in Alberta in Canada, is an absconder and is wanted by security agencies in a case related to the grenade attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali in 2022.
The NIA has succeeded in getting Canada-based Arsh Dalla designated as an "individual terrorist" by the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 9 in a separate case.
The NIA registered a general case that relates to terror activities of chiefs and members of proscribed terrorist organisations such as Khalistan Liberation Force, Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation.
Their activities include smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosive and IEDs across international borders for use by operatives and members of terror outfits and organised criminal gangs for carrying out terrorist acts in Punjab.
(With PTI input)
