Terror-gangster-narco nexus: NIA searches 324 locations in 6 states, 2 UTs

Several suspects were detained during the raids, conducted as part of ‘Operation Dhvast’, the agency said.

An NIA spokesperson said the NIA teams raided a few houses in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh and Delhi and Chandigarh (UTs) starting around 5.30 am. While the NIA conducted searches at 129 locations, Punjab police conducted searches at 143 places in 17 districts and Haryana police raided 52 locations in 10 districts.

“Searches are on in connection with three cases registered by the NIA. The raids and searches are part of the crackdown against organised criminal syndicates and networks, top gangsters, their criminal and business associates based in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra,” said an officer.

“The focus of today’s raids was on weapon suppliers, financiers, logistic providers and hawala operators associated with the hardcore gangs working with drug smugglers and terrorists based in other countries such as Pakistan and Canada,” the officer said.

This was the sixth crackdown in the series. In February, the NIA had raided the houses of people suspected to be in contact with gangsters in Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh. The NIA has already filed two chargesheets in the three cases.

“A number of criminal gangs active in North India are now being operated from Dubai, and pro-Khalistan organisations are using their networks for executing unlawful activities on the lines of the Mumbai underworld in the 1990s. Fugitives, such as Arsh Dala and Gaurav Patial, who are based in foreign countries, are in touch with the pro-Khalistan elements lodged in Indian jails and other countries to carry out targeted killings, extortion and terror acts,” the NIA chargesheet says.

Three cases were registered by the NIA in August 2022 against Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda, and US-based Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who is the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), for supporting the Khalistan movement.

Two cases were registered against gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar and Vikram Brar, as well as their rivals Davinder Bambiha, Kaushal Chaudhary, Neeraj Bawana, Sunil alias Tillu Tajpuriya, Dilpreet, and Sukhpreet alias Budha.