New Delhi, Jan 11: As part of a significant effort to break the link between terrorists, criminals, and drug smugglers in the nation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) searched 32 locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab on Thursday, according to officials. Early this morning saw the start of the raids, and state police forces closely collaborated with several anti-terror agency teams as they performed searches. The organisation is searching a number of locations, including Jhajjar and Sonipat in Haryana. Agents raided the homes of those connected to the notorious mobster Lawrence Bishnoi’s coordinated terror-crime network. The raids took place a few days after Lawrence Bishnoi’s four houses were attached by the NIA on January 6.One of these properties could be moved, while the other three were immovable. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, earlier, allowed the NIA teams in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh to seize the properties in a coordinated manner. According to the NIA, all of these properties are “proceeds of terrorism,” used to carry out major crimes and plan terror attacks. The properties that are attached belong to Vikas Singh, who harbours the terror group in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The properties include Flat-77/4, Ashrey-1, Sulabh Awas Yojana, Sector-1, Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.Two other properties that were attached belonged to accused Dalip Kumar, also known as Bhola, alias Dalip Bishnoi, and were situated in the Punjabi village of Bhishanpura, Fazilka. Ragba Tedadi (Pluralistic) 59-15 in 187/2390, Hissa (share) Baqadar and Khewat No. 296 in 127/752, Ragba Tedadi (Pluralistic) 225-12 in Hissa (share) Baqadar are the two properties. Additionally, a Fortuner vehicle registered in the name of Joginder Singh, a Yamunanagar, Haryana, resident, was taken into custody. According to NIA investigations, Vikas Singh is a friend of Lawrence Bishnoi, who has provided sanctuary to terrorists, including individuals who are suspected of attacking Punjab Police Headquarters with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).On the other hand, Lawrence Bishnoi’s close buddy and mobster Kala Rana is the son of Joginder Singh. By permitting gang members to use his Fortuner vehicle to transfer weapons and ammunition in support of terrorist activities, Joginder Singh was aiding and abetting them. The accused Dalip Kumar’s property was being used as a warehouse and shelter for the storage and concealment of weapons, as well as a place to host members of terrorist gangs. In August 2022, the NIA filed a UA(P)A case against mobster Lawrence Bishnoi and his companions’ organised crime network.According to the agency’s findings, the gang had established criminal networks akin to the mafia throughout multiple states in the nation. In addition to large-scale extortions from merchants and professionals, these networks were implicated in other dramatic crimes, including the murders of social and religious leaders like Pardeep Kumar and famed Punjabi musician Sidhu Moosewala. Further NIA investigations have shown that a large number of these terror plots were planned from overseas, such as Pakistan and Canada, or by leaders of organised crime syndicates that ran jail operations all throughout India.The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has implemented various targeted tactics in recent months to disrupt and dismantle terror and mafia networks, as well as their support infrastructure. These tactics include seizing and attaching their properties that are obtained from the “proceeds of terrorism.”
