NIA Raids 13 Locations Across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, NCR
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided 13 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, and Delhi in an attempt to dismantle a gangster-terror nexus. The NIA found incriminating materials, including various types of contraband. This was the third round of raids by the agency.
The NIA is working on two cases registered in August 2022 and is looking to dismantle the emerging nexus between gangsters, terrorists, and drug smugglers/ traffickers in India and abroad. The places searched by the NIA include Fazilka, Mohali districts of Punjab, Sangrur, Sikar district of Rajasthan, Taran Taran, Yamunanagar district of Haryana, and Outer North District of Delhi and NCR.
These included the houses or premises of Binny Gurjar of Sangrur in Punjab, Kaushal Chaudhary of Gurugram, Ravi Rajgarh of Ludhiana in Punjab, Vishal Maan of Prahalpur in Delhi, as well as their associates.
In a statement, the NIA shared, “Investigations will continue to dismantle such terror networks as well as their funding and support infrastructure. 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 and weapons.” It added, “The recent sensational 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 publicize these crimes to create terror among the public at large.”
The NIA found incriminating materials which included various types of contraband as well as ammunition.
The agency mentioned that many of these gang leaders have fled to other countries like Canada, Pakistan, Australia, and Malaysia. “Most of these conspiracies were being hatched from inside jails of different states and were being executed by an organized network of operatives based abroad,” the NIA said.
This was the third raid session conducted by the NIA to dismantle the criminal syndicate. Back in October, NIA ran a mega search operation at 52 locations across north India’s four states and the Union Territory of Delhi. The agency arrested an advocate in Delhi and a gangster from Haryana. In September, the agency searched 52 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi as well as the National Capital Region (NCR). During these searches, they recovered pistols, revolvers, ammunition, a few weapons in semi-knocked down condition, gold bars and gold jewelry, incriminating documents, threat letters, digital devices, details about benami property created through proceeds of crime, and cash.
Vineet Washington