The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recently seized over Rs 7.80 lakh in cash and a vehicle under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The seizure is related to a case involving the recovery of arms and explosives, smuggled from Pakistan by the Babbar Khalsa International, in Haryana last year. On May 5 last year, police intercepted a vehicle at Bastara Toll Plaza in Haryana and discovered three improvised explosive devices, one pistol with two magazines, 31 rounds of ammunition, and Rs 1.30 lakh in cash that had been concealed in a specially designed cavity. Four terror operatives were arrested while on their way to Adilabad in Telangana.
The NIA’s investigations have revealed that multiple consignments of arms, explosives, and drugs had been sent from Pakistan by designated terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda through drones to pre-decided locations near the India-Pakistan border. The NIA said that several individuals received the weapon and drug consignments and were tasked to deliver part-consignments to different places in the country to carry out attacks in the name of banned Babbar Khalsa International.
The spokesperson said that the seized Innova car was used by the accused persons for transporting such consignments. “Gopi had also amassed a large amount of cash through smuggling these contraband items. Investigations have exposed his modus operandi of depositing this money in bank accounts of others,” the spokesperson said. The official said an NIA team seized Rs 5.5 lakh from one such account and recovered Rs 1 lakh that Gopi had stashed away, raising the total recovery to Rs 7,80,000 in this case, besides the seized Innova vehicle.
The NIA took over the investigation of the case on May 24 last year and filed the first charge sheet against six accused, including Rinda, in October. A supplementary charge sheet was filed against three more accused in March this year.
