NEW DELHI: The NIA has arrested three persons — one each from Moga in Punjab, Bhiwani in Haryana and Delhi — in connection with the multi-state raids conducted on Wednesday in three cases relating to the nexus among terrorists, gangsters and drug dealers. The nexus has been linked to targeted killings, extortion and terror funding of pro-Khalistan outfits with earnings from smuggling of drugs and weapons.
The massive crackdown — codenamed ‘Operation Dhvast’ — had seen simultaneous, day-long raids by NIA, Punjab police and Haryana Police at 324 locations across Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and UT of Chandigarh.
One of the arrested accused, Parveen Wadhwa from Bhiwani, was found liaising with certain notorious gangsters including Lawrence Bishnoi, in jail. NIA seized weapons from the house of Irfan, another accused associated with dreaded gangsters, in New Seelampur, Delhi. The third arrested accused, Jassa Singh of Moga, was allegedly working at the behest of Canada based ‘listed terrorist’ Arsh Dhalla, said NIA.
As per NIA investigations, Parveen @ Prince was in regular touch with Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang members Deepak @ Tinu and Sampat Nehra, along with other associates. He was working as their special messenger from inside jails.
Investigations into the activities of Irfan @ Chenu revealed his involvement in a terror conspiracy involving gangster Kaushal Choudhary and his associates Sunil Balyan @Tillu Tajpuria, who was recently killed in Tihar Jail, among others. Irfan has been arraigned as an accused following the raids that led to the recovery of arms.
In the case of Jassa Singh, NIA has established his role in the Khalistan terror conspiracy. He had delivered a pistol at the instance of Arsh Dalla, NIA investigations have found.
Wednesday’s raids in three terrorist-gangster-drug-dealer cases registered by NIA since August 2022, were a part of the continuing crackdown by the agency on terror networks as well as their funding and support infrastructure. While NIA had knocked on 129 doors, Punjab Police and Haryana police undertook searches at 143 places of 17 districts and 52 locations of 10 districts respectively.
The terrorist-gangster-drug-mafia cases involve hatching of conspiracies related to targeted killings, terror funding of pro-Khalistan outfits, extortion etc. Notable cases include the killings of Maharashtra builder Sanjay Biyani and international kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambia in Punjab last year.
NIA investigations have so far revealed that conspiracies were being hatched in jails of different states and executed by an organized network of operatives based abroad. The spotlight on these gangs has become sharper following reports of several prisons becoming havens of the deadly nexus and hubs of gang wars. This had recently resulted in instances of violence and murder inside Goindwal jail and Tihar jail.
NIA has found that many criminals, who were leading gangsters in India, had fled to countries like Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia and Australia. They were engaged there in planning serious crimes, in association with criminals lodged in jails across India. These groups were carrying out targeted killings and raising funds for their nefarious activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons, hawala and extortions.
The massive crackdown — codenamed ‘Operation Dhvast’ — had seen simultaneous, day-long raids by NIA, Punjab police and Haryana Police at 324 locations across Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and UT of Chandigarh.
One of the arrested accused, Parveen Wadhwa from Bhiwani, was found liaising with certain notorious gangsters including Lawrence Bishnoi, in jail. NIA seized weapons from the house of Irfan, another accused associated with dreaded gangsters, in New Seelampur, Delhi. The third arrested accused, Jassa Singh of Moga, was allegedly working at the behest of Canada based ‘listed terrorist’ Arsh Dhalla, said NIA.
As per NIA investigations, Parveen @ Prince was in regular touch with Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang members Deepak @ Tinu and Sampat Nehra, along with other associates. He was working as their special messenger from inside jails.
Investigations into the activities of Irfan @ Chenu revealed his involvement in a terror conspiracy involving gangster Kaushal Choudhary and his associates Sunil Balyan @Tillu Tajpuria, who was recently killed in Tihar Jail, among others. Irfan has been arraigned as an accused following the raids that led to the recovery of arms.
In the case of Jassa Singh, NIA has established his role in the Khalistan terror conspiracy. He had delivered a pistol at the instance of Arsh Dalla, NIA investigations have found.
Wednesday’s raids in three terrorist-gangster-drug-dealer cases registered by NIA since August 2022, were a part of the continuing crackdown by the agency on terror networks as well as their funding and support infrastructure. While NIA had knocked on 129 doors, Punjab Police and Haryana police undertook searches at 143 places of 17 districts and 52 locations of 10 districts respectively.
The terrorist-gangster-drug-mafia cases involve hatching of conspiracies related to targeted killings, terror funding of pro-Khalistan outfits, extortion etc. Notable cases include the killings of Maharashtra builder Sanjay Biyani and international kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambia in Punjab last year.
NIA investigations have so far revealed that conspiracies were being hatched in jails of different states and executed by an organized network of operatives based abroad. The spotlight on these gangs has become sharper following reports of several prisons becoming havens of the deadly nexus and hubs of gang wars. This had recently resulted in instances of violence and murder inside Goindwal jail and Tihar jail.
NIA has found that many criminals, who were leading gangsters in India, had fled to countries like Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia and Australia. They were engaged there in planning serious crimes, in association with criminals lodged in jails across India. These groups were carrying out targeted killings and raising funds for their nefarious activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons, hawala and extortions.