The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday launched a "massive nation-wide raid at 76 locations in Punjab, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Delhi NCR region and seized 11 pistols, revolvers and rifles, along with ammunition. Apart from the above, "incriminating documents, digital devices, cash" etc. have also been seized.
The raid was stated to be part of NIA's ongoing operations to "break the financial backbone of the international terror networks that are operating in connivance with arm-suppliers, drugs traffickers and local gangsters in a bid to fuel unrest in India."
NIA in its 5th round of operation conducted searches at 76 locations in Abohar, Bhatinda, Muktsar Sahib, Moga, Ludhiana, Mohali, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Ludhiana Districts of Punjab, Gurugram, Yamuna Nagar, Rohtak, Mahendragarh, Sirsa and Jhajjar districts of Haryana, Churu, Bharatpur and Alwar districts of Rajasthan, Bagpat, Bareilly, Pratapgarh, Bulandshaher and Pilibhit districts of Uttar Pradesh and Dwarka, Outer North, Central and Outer North Districts of Delhi and NCR.
Searches were conducted at the houses premises of noted criminals and gangsters including Lakhvir Singh of Gidderbaha at Muktsar, Naresh at Abohar, Surender alias Cheeku of Narnaul in Haryana, Kaushal Choudhary and Amit Dagar of Gurugram and Sunil Rathi of Baghpat, UP. Raids were also conducted on their Hawala operators, weapon suppliers, gun houses, business frontmen, financiers and logistics associates., NIA sources said.
NIA sources added that a few of the most desperate gang leaders and their associates based in India and abroad, who are spearheading and carrying out such terror and criminal activities were identified and booked in 3 cases registered by the federal agency in August, 2022.
According to NIA, the crackdown was triggered following recent crimes and extortion calls by criminal syndicates and gangsters to businessmen, professionals, including doctors etc., had created a widespread scare among the people. These gangs were using cyber-space to publicise these crimes to create terror among the public at large.
“Investigations revealed that such criminal acts were not isolated local incidents,” said an NIA spokesperson.
“There is a deep-rooted conspiracy amongst terrorists, gangsters and drug smuggling cartels and networks, who were operating from both within and outside the country” said an NIA spokesperson confirming the raids.
Many gang leaders and members had fled from India and were now operating from foreign countries, including Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Australia etc. Ongoing probes by the NIA in cases being investigated by the Agency, such as the killing of Sanjay Biyani in Maharashtra, Sandeep Nangal Ambia etc. in Punjab also revealed that most of these conspiracies were being hatched from inside Jails of different States and were being executed by an organized network of operatives based in abroad.
“Further investigations will continue to dismantle such terror networks as well as their funding and support infrastructure,” the spokesperson confirmed adding that “preliminary investigations have revealed that these gangs were carrying out targeted killings and were also raising funds to carry out such criminal activities through smuggling of drugs, Hawala network and weapons.”