Given the possible national and international ramifications of the conspiracy behind targeted killings in the state, the Punjab government has decided to hand over the investigations of seven cases to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The decision was taken since the cases involve international criminal conspiracy and terrorism angle, and also because the modus operandi in all the killings was the same.
During discussions between an NIA team led by its director Y C Modi and Punjab Police brass on Monday, the two sides had agreed that the central agency was better equipped to undertake further investigations, with handlers, conspirators and financers in all these cases believed to be operating from foreign soil.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has directed the police to extend full support to the NIA to unravel the conspiracy so that foreign-based networks conspiring against the state are dismantled.
The NIA rounded up three persons from Pratapgarh in UP as part of its bid to unfold the network of sleeper terror modules. One of them, Shahnawaz, was taken to Delhi for questioning. He was detained on the basis of a tip-off by an LeT operative who was arrested in Lucknow on Tuesday. Shanawaz is suspected to have carried out a recce of key locations.