NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough against the pro-Khalistan terror network, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested a key aide of dreaded foreign-based terrorists Harwinder Sandhu alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh alias Landa following his successful extradition from the United Arab Emirate (UAE).According to the officials, the arrested accused Tarsem Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran district in Punjab, is the real brother of ‘Designated Individual Terrorist’ Lakhbir Landa. Tarsem had a non-bailable warrant against him since June last year.“Wanted in a case registered by the NIA, Tarsem was a key member of banned Babbar Khalistan International (BKI) terrorist organisation and an important terror node of designated terrorists Rinda and Landa in the UAE,” a senior official said.The official said that Tarsem was “initially picked up in Abu Dhabi in November, last year, following the issuance of the NBW by an NIA special court and the subsequent Red Corner Notice by INTERPOL. Eventually, on Friday, he was extradited from the UAE to India in adherence to INTERPOL’s due processes.The Global Operations Centre of the CBI coordinated with the NIA and INTERPOL NCB – Abu Dhabi to ensure the return of the RCN subject Tarsem from the UAE.“The CBI had got a Red notice issued against Tarsem from INTERPOL General Secretariat on November 13, last year on the request of the NIA and the same was circulated to all INTERPOL member countries for location and arrest of accused,” a senior agency official said, adding that the RCN subject was geolocated in UAE through INTERPOL and a security mission from the NIA travelled to the UAE for his return to India.The officials in the anti-terror agency said the NIA in its investigation has found that Tarsem was actively involved in arranging and providing terror funds to India-based associates of Rinda and Landa. He was also involved in channeling terror funds through multiple routes, they added.The NIA had registered the case suo moto on August 20, 2022, which relates to terror activities of chiefs/members of proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), BKI, International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and others, who have established a massive network of terror operators across India.These outfits are working through operatives and members of terror outfits and organised criminal gangs to smuggle arms, ammunition, explosives and IEDs from across the border, the officials said, adding that they have been using, drug trafficking, extortions and, hawala trading to generate funds for carrying out terrorist activities on the Indian soil, the NIA has so far found in its investigation.
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