CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police has busted a narco-terror module linked to the banned terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) with the arrest of three key operatives from Bihar while they were attempting to flee to Nepal.
Director General of Police, Punjab Gaurav Yadav, said here on Saturday that those arrested have been identified as Karandeep Yadav (21), Mukesh Kumar (29) and Sajan Singh (24), all residents of Khandwala Chheharta in Amritsar.
The police teams have also recovered three mobile phones and 700 Nepali currency notes from their possession.
The development came following meticulous investigation after the arrest of Joban Singh alias Joban and Gurbaksh Singh alias Lala after recovering 290 grams of heroin from their possession.
Yadav said that preliminary investigations had revealed that the arrested accused were working on the directions of Pakistan-based BKI mastermind Harwinder Rinda.
He said that the probe has revealed that the arrested accused Karandeep Yadav, had delivered the grenades and weapons that were recovered from Tarn Taran in January this year.
As per the information, Tarn Taran Police had arrested four operatives identified as Robinjeet Singh alias Robin, Harpreet Singh alias Happy, Navjot Singh alias Nav and Jagdeep Singh alias Jagga. The police recovered two hand grenades and a pistol from their possession.
He said that the arrested individuals, who were residing in Amritsar’s Khandwala and Chheharta areas, have been apprehended from the jurisdiction of Police Station Kumarkhand in Madehpur, Bihar when they were planning to flee to Nepal.
The trio accused persons are being brought back to Punjab for further interrogation.
Sharing operation details, Amritsar Police Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that acting on reliable inputs, an intelligence-led operation was launched with the lead taken by officers from Chheharta Police Station, Amritsar.
As a result, the accused were successfully arrested from Bihar.
He said that further investigations are ongoing to establish backward and forward linkages in this case, and more arrests and recoveries are expected in coming days.
In this regard, a case has dated March 7 has already been registered under section 21-C of the NDPS Act at Police Station Chheharta in Amritsar.
In another development, the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), Mohali, arrested three operatives of a terror module being run by Pakistan-based BKI terrorist Harvinder Singh alias Rinda.
Those arrested have been identified as Jagjit Singh alias Jaggi and Shubham Khelbude, both residents of Nanded in Maharashtra and Gurdeep Singh alias Deepa, a resident of Raipur in Ropar.
Police teams have also recovered two weapons including one 12 bore pump-action gun with 15 cartridges and one .32 bore pistol with eight cartridges.
This development follows the earlier arrests of Jagdish Singh alias Jagga, Shubhdeep Singh alias Shubh, and Sachindeep Singh alias Sachin in connection with the Nanded murder case.
With these latest arrests, the total number of individuals apprehended in the case has risen to six in this case.
Yadav said preliminary investigation has revealed that arrested accused Jagjit alias Jaggi played a critical role in facilitating logistics, safe houses, and coordination for the shooters involved in the Nanded murder case, masterminded by Rinda from across the border.
"Investigations have also uncovered the role of jailed gangster Dilpreet alias Baba, an old associate of Rinda, who arranged safe shelters in Punjab for the accused," he said.
He said that the arrested operative Jagjeet alias Jaggi is wanted in cases related to murder, attempt to murder, threat and intimidating for extortion, while Shubham is wanted in threat and extortion related cases in Nanded, Maharashtra and came to Punjab evading their arrest.
"Accused Jaggi and Shubam were actively involved in coordinating various illegal activities, including the procurement of weapons, collection of extortion money, logistics support, and shelter for their other operatives in Nanded all on directions of Harvinder alias Rinda," he said.
Yadav said that the third arrested individual Gurdeep alias Deepa was arrested for providing shelter and logistical support to the fugitives Jaggi and Shubam.
Accused Gurdeep Deepa also played a crucial role in enabling the escape and continued activities of the accused.
AIG SSOC SAS Nagar Dr Simrat Kaur said following a reliable input, a team of SSOC SAS Nagar launched an intelligence-led operation and arrested Shubham Khelbude along with Gurdeep alias Deepa from Anandpur Sahib where he was taking shelter at a sand crusher owned by the latter.
Further swift action on the leads obtained from the interrogation of arrested accused paved way for the arrest of third accused Jagjeet alias Jaggi from district Tarn tarn late night on the same day.
She said that during the operation the police recovered a .32-bore pistol from Shubham and a Pump Action Gun from Gurdeep, which were intended for use in furthering illegal operations in Punjab and other regions.
In this regard, a case has already been registered under section 25(1) B of the Arms act and sections 249 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station SSOC, SAS Nagar.
