NIA arrests Punjab-based arms smuggler from Meerut in Khalistani extortion racket case

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 6

The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA on Tuesday said it has arrested a weapons trafficker, Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Ferozepur, from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh in connection with a case relating to extortion racket by Khalistani terrorists in Moga district of Punjab.

Officials in the NIA said investigation by the agency revealed that absconding accused Arshdeep Singh “is a close associate of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (a designated terrorist and chief of Khalistan Tiger Force)”.

‘It was later found that Gagandeep was a “close associate” of Arshdeep, they added

“Gangandeep was involved in smuggling of weapons and on the directions of Arshdeep, he had supplied the weapons, including 9mm pistols and country-made pistols to the other arrested accused persons, which were further used in killing and extorting money from businessmen in the state of Punjab,” a senior NIA official said.

Arrested Gagandeep was later produced before a special NIA Court in Mohali and the court granted NIA his custody for eight days, the official said.

The case was originally registered by the Punjab Police in Moga after receiving information that Arshdeep, Charanjit Singh alias Rinku and Ramandeep Singh alias Jajj, all currently abroad, had formed a gang and are threatening and extorting money from people.

Later, NIA took over the probe in the case on June 10, 2021.