NEW DELHI: India has secured the deportation of Harwinder Kumar, alias Sonu Barnala, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in connection with the 2024 killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab’s Nangal, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Thursday.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Harwinder at the Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after his deportation and produced him before the Special NIA Court for further legal proceedings.
The MHA said Prabhakar was allegedly targeted by operatives of the proscribed terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) as part of a conspiracy to create communal unrest. The killing was allegedly carried out at the behest of Pakistan-based BKI chief Wadhawa Singh, alias Babbar.
Harwinder, who was based in the UAE, was the subject of a Red Corner Notice (RCN) issued on April 17, 2026. According to the MHA, Indian agencies requested his handover on June 19, following which UAE authorities deported him to India.
The MHA said the government has also launched the PRAHAAR initiative to expedite the deportation of terrorists and other wanted accused to India.
The NIA said Harwinder allegedly served as a key logistics provider and financier for BKI operatives operating from abroad. Investigators allege that he recruited and handled operatives, arranged weapons and facilitated their delivery to the shooters involved in Prabhakar’s killing. He also allegedly received and transferred terror funds on the directions of Germany-based BKI operatives Harjit Singh, alias Laddi, and Kulbeer Singh, alias Sidhu.
The case, registered as RC-06/2024/NIA/DLI, was taken over by the NIA on May 9, 2024. The agency has so far filed three chargesheets in the matter.
Harwinder’s arrest comes weeks after the NIA arrested another UAE-based accused, Manveer Ram, on August 13, 2026. Ram was allegedly involved in supplying weapons used in the killing and was intercepted at Amritsar Airport before being arrested.
According to the NIA’s investigation, the conspiracy to eliminate Prabhakar was allegedly planned by Harjit Singh and Kulbeer Singh, who were operating from Germany.
The latest development follows coordinated efforts by Indian and UAE authorities to trace and return wanted accused. The NIA said Harwinder’s deportation and arrest reflect its efforts to pursue fugitives linked to terrorism cases and bring them back to India to face due process of law.