NEW DELHI: In a major success against the pro-Khalistan terror network, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested a key aide of dreaded foreign-based terrorists Harwinder Sandhu (Rinda) and Lakhbir Singh (Landa) after successfully securing his extradition from the UAE.
As per an NIA release, the accused Tarsem Singh from Tarn Taran district in Punjab and brother of designated individual terrorist Lakhbir Landa had a non-bailable warrant (NBW) of arrest against him since June 2023.
Tarsem was initially picked up in Abu Dhabi in November 2023 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.
Singh is wanted in NIA case RC 37/2022/NIA/DLI, he was a key member of Babbar Khalistan International (BKI) terrorist organisation and an important terror node of designated terrorists Rinda and Landa in the UAE, the release stated. As per the NIA investigation, Tarsem was actively involved in arranging and providing terror funds to India-based associates of Sandhu alias Rinda and Landa. He was also involved in the channelisation of terror funds through multiple routes.
The NIA had registered the case suo motu on August 20, 2022. The case relates to terror activities of chiefs/members of proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), BKI, International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) etc, who have established a massive network of terror operators across India.
The NIA investigations have revealed that these outfits are working through operatives or members of terror outfits and organized criminal gangs to smuggle arms, ammunition, explosives, IEDs etc from across the border. They have been using, narcotics trafficking, extortion, hawala trading, etc to generate funds for carrying out terrorist activities on Indian soil.
Further investigations in the case are under way, the release said. (ANI)