NIA Files Chargesheet Against 9 Terrorists Linked to Banned Outfits Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Tiger Force

The NIA has filed a charge sheet against three individuals who are listed as terrorists, as well as six others who are associated with banned terror groups Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).

The individuals being charged include former gang members who have turned to terrorism, as well as drug smugglers and suppliers.

According to the reports, Rinda and Landa from BKI, as well as Arsh Dala from KTF, have been operating overseas and have established their own networks of operatives. They have close connections with drug smugglers and pro-Khalistan operatives in Pakistan and other countries.

NIA has also arrested two close aides of Arshdeep Singh Dhalla, a designated terrorist of KTF.

According to the agency, a complex network of operatives based abroad has been involved in recruiting, motivating, and managing associates in India for carrying out terrorist activities, extortion, and smuggling of weapons and drugs across the border.

These operatives also have connections with major gangs operating in northern India, including local gangsters, organized criminal syndicates, and networks.

The NIA has discovered a sophisticated fundraising mechanism used by BKI and KTF.

Funds were being channeled to associates in India through both informal and formal channels, employing layering and fund provisioning techniques. Various methods of money transfer were employed to obscure the true identities of the senders and receivers of the funds.

The NIA has conducted raids in Punjab and Haryana, targeting 10 locations as part of their investigation into the banned terrorist organization Khalistan Tiger Force.

In addition to their ongoing investigations, the NIA is also looking into the connections of 16 other individuals who are either absconding or have been arrested and are associated with BKI and KTF.

Rinda, a former gangster, has now become a key member of BKI and a pro-Khalistan operative. In 2018-19, he fled to Pakistan and is currently residing there with the support of the ISI.

The agency states that he is involved in various criminal activities such as smuggling arms, ammunition, explosives, and drugs into India from Pakistan. He is also responsible for recruiting BKI operatives, carrying out murders, and extorting funds for the outfit in Punjab and Maharashtra.

Rinda is allegedly connected to numerous acts of terrorism, including the RPG attack on the Punjab police intelligence headquarters in Mohali in May 2022. Earlier this year, he was declared an "individual terrorist."

Arsh Dala, a resident of Moga in Punjab, was previously involved in gangster activities but is now operating from Canada.

During his time there, he got in touch with the former KTF chief, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Together, they formed gangs to extort funds and carry out targeted killings of businessmen and community leaders in Punjab. Dala has also been designated as an "individual terrorist."

Landa, hailing from Tarn Taran, Punjab, initially engaged in criminal and gangster-related activities. In 2017, he moved to Canada and continued his illicit operations from there. Eventually, he crossed paths with BKI Rinda and began working alongside him.

Landa is the primary suspect in several terrorist incidents, including the RPG attack on the Punjab police intelligence headquarters and another attack on the Sarhali police station in Tarn Taran in December 2022.

He was also the mastermind behind the plot to assassinate Punjab police sub-inspector Dilbagh Singh in August of the previous year.

The NIA has charged Harjot Singh, who is currently in the United States, along with other foreign-based BKI men. Kashmir Singh Galwaddi, an absconding accused of the Nabha Jailbreak case, is now suspected to be in Nepal. Tarsem Singh, the brother of Landa, has shifted his base to Dubai.

Among the accused linked to KTF, Gurjant Singh is currently in Australia. Deepak Ranga and Lucky Khokha have also been named by the agency.

Ranga was recruited by Rinda and Landa for the RPG attack that took place in May 2022.