NIA nabs Babbar Khalsa operatives; seizes Rs 7.8 lakh cash

The National Investigation Agency has seized more than '7.80 lakh cash and a vehicle as 'proceeds of terrorism' in a case that began last year, when arms and explosives smuggled from Pakistan by Babbar Khalsa International was intercepted in Haryana, an official said on Friday.

The cash and a Innova car were seized on Thursday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a NIA spokesperson said. Last May, police intercepted a vehicle at Haryana's Bastara Toll Plaza and found three improvised explosive devices, one pistol with two magazines, 31 rounds of ammunition and '1.30 lakh cash concealed in a specially designed cavity of the vehicle. Alleged terror operatives Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, Amandeep Singh, alias Deepa, Parminder Singh, alias Pinder, and Bhupinder Singh were on their way to Telangana's Adilabad, NIA said.

Investigations showed that multiple consignments of arms, explosives and drugs were sent from Pakistan by designated terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, through drones to destined spots on the India-Pakistan border, NIA said. "Gopi, Deepa, Akash, Sukhbeer Singh, alias 'Jashan,' and Jarmalpreet Singh received the weapon and drug consignments. Gopi and others were tasked to collect the contraband and deliver part-consignments to...different places in the country to carry out attacks in the name of banned Babbar Khalsa International," the NIA spokesperson said.


The Innova was used for transporting the consignments. "Gopi had amassed a large amount of cash through smuggling contraband. Investigations have exposed his modus operandi of depositing his illegitimate money in bank accounts of others," the spokesperson said.

The official said an NIA team seized Rs 5.5 lakh from one such account and another Rs 1 lakh that Gopi stashed away, raising the total money found to Rs 7,80,000 in this case, apart from the Innova. The NIA took over the investigation on May 24 and filed the first charge sheet against the six accused, including Rinda, in October. A supplementary charge sheet was filed against three more accused this year.