On Tuesday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out raids at 16 locations in Punjab and Rajasthan as part of its ongoing investigation into the nexus between Sikh-Separatist elements and organized crime.
Six individuals were detained for questioning during the operation, which was a component of the NIA’s ongoing inquiries into five cases filed since August 2022.
The raids are currently underway at 16 locations, comprising 14 in Punjab and two in Rajasthan. The NIA’s investigations are ongoing and encompass efforts to disrupt the nexus between terrorists, gangsters, and drug smugglers. The agency’s objective is to dismantle the infrastructure supporting this nexus, including its funding channels.
The agency has conducted the search operation since early Tuesday morning in close coordination with state police forces. These raids are being executed based on specific inputs received by the NIA.
The places being searched include residential and other premises associated with suspects having links to Sikh-Separatist supporters and individuals involved in criminal activities.
According to available information, among those involved is Gurvinder Singh, also known as Neeta, who reportedly holds the position of block president in the Aam Aadmi Party. During the raid, the NIA team confiscated several documents related to the investigation.
The six individuals picked for questioning are reportedly involved in terrorist activities and maintain close contact with designated Sikh-separatist fugitives through social media networks and other communication channels.
The action follows nearly two months after NIA Director General Dinkar Gupta addressed various issues openly during his December 2023 meeting with FBI Director Christopher A. Wray. Gupta discussed the activities of terrorist-organized criminal networks, ongoing investigations into the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, as well as various cyber-terrorism and cyber-crime investigations conducted during the meeting.
Gupta emphasized the growing nexus between terrorist groups and elements of organized crime syndicates, which was extending to the United States as well.
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