New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS): In a major breakthrough in the Punjab terror conspiracy case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday said it has arrested a key aide of designated Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh, also known as Landa, and gangster Bachitar Singh alias Pavitar Batala.
Jatinder Singh alias Jyoti of district Gurdaspur, Punjab has been arrested from Mumbai on Monday, the NIA said, adding, he was absconding since the arrest of weapons supplier Baljit Singh alias Rana Bhai in July 2024.
Jatinder was arrested after extensive technical and on-ground efforts by the NIA, the probe agency informed.
The anti-terror agency said in a statement that it has identified Jatinder as a member of the terror gang formed by foreign-based Landa of the banned terrorist organisation, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and an aide of Batala, a close associate of Landa.
According to NIA, Jatinder Singh was providing weapons to on-ground operatives of Landa and Batala in Punjab. He was procuring weapons from Madhya Pradesh (MP) based supplier Baljit Singh alias Rana Bhai, who has recently been chargesheeted in the instant case, the NIA investigation revealed.
NIA Investigations have further revealed that Jatinder Singh had brought ten pistols from MP and delivered them to operatives of Landa and Batala in Punjab.
He had planned to smuggle more weapons from MP into Punjab but was scuttled by NIA’s sustained search operations over the past several months, the statement said further.
Jatinder’s arrest marks a major step forward in NIA’s efforts to dismantle the terror-gangster nexus by preventing smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives etc, and raising of funds for carrying out terrorist acts on Indian soil.
The Union Home Ministry has designated Lakhbir Singh Landa, a 34-year-old Canada-based gangster, as a terrorist under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA.
Landa was involved in a rocket attack on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in 2021, among other terrorist activities, according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Landa fled to Canada in 2017. The MHA identifies him as a member of the notorious Khalistani group, BKI.