In a recent operation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) orchestrated extensive searches at nearly 30 locales spanning Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chandigarh. This strategic move aimed to unravel the intricate ties between terrorists and underworld figures.
The raids commenced in the early hours, targeting the residences of implicated individuals based on intelligence gleaned from prior detainee interrogations. Notably, Bilaspur village in Moga district, Punjab, witnessed intensive searches, as sources reported. Official channels confirm that the operation unfolded across Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the union territory of Chandigarh.
This action follows the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) disruptive operation on January 6, where a nexus involving terrorists, gangsters, and drug smugglers was dismantled. The ED seized four properties linked to Lawrence Bishnoi’s criminal syndicate, encompassing three immovable and one movable asset. These holdings were confiscated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, as the investigative body identified them as the ‘proceeds of terrorism,’ instrumental in executing criminal activities and plotting acts of terror.
A retrospective glance to 2022 reveals the NIA initiating legal proceedings against Lawrence Bishnoi and his cohorts under the UA(P)A. The investigation unveiled the syndicate’s expansive reach across multiple states, engaging in a spectrum of criminal activities. Notably, their rap sheet included the high-profile murders of renowned singer Sidhu Moosewala and social leader Pardeep Kumar, alongside extorting businessmen.
Deeper inquiries have laid bare the fact that these sinister plots were orchestrated on foreign soil by leaders of criminal enterprises, operating from within the confines of Indian prisons.