Multiple teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday began searches at 30 locations in four states — Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh — and the Union Territory of Chandigarh in connection with the terrorist-gangster nexus case, said an NIA spokesperson.
In 2022, the NIA registered three FIRs against the alleged nexus between gangsters, drug smugglers, and terrorist groups based in other countries, including Pakistan and Canada.
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One of the cases was against the organised crime syndicate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). “NIA found in their investigations that the gang had its mafia-style criminal networks in several states of the country. Members of these networks were involved in many sensational crimes such as the murders of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and religious and social leaders like Pardeep Kumar,” an official said, adding that they were also involved in large-scale extortions from businessmen and professionals.
According to the NIA, investigations have also revealed that many terror conspiracies were masterminded from abroad, including Pakistan and Canada, or by leaders of organised terror syndicates operating from prisons in India. “As part of its efforts to disrupt and dismantle such terror and mafia networks and their support infrastructure, the NIA has adopted several targeted strategies in recent months, including attachment and seizure of properties derived from proceeds of terrorism,” the spokesperson said.
Investigations conducted by the NIA have also revealed that conspiracies were being hatched in jails in various states and were being executed by an organised network of foreign-based operatives. “These conspiracies included the sensational killing of Maharashtra builder Sanjay Biyani, mining trader Mehal Singh and international Kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambia in Punjab. Many of the criminals and gangsters who were earlier leading gangs in India have fled abroad in recent years and are now carrying out terror and violence-related activities from there,” an official said.
“These criminals have been engaged in planning and commissioning serious crimes, including contract and revenge killings, in association with criminals lodged in jails across India. These groups have been carrying out targeted killings and raising funds for attacks and other nefarious activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons, hawala and extortions. The spotlight on these gangs got sharper after reports of several prisons becoming havens of the deadly nexus and hubs of gang wars which recently resulted in violence and murder inside Goindwal jail,” the official said.