New Delhi, Jan 6: In a significant move to break the link between terrorists, drug traffickers, and organised crime in the nation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday annexed four properties that belonged to members of the terror-crime syndicate led by notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. One of these properties could be moved, while the other three were immovable. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 allowed the NIA teams in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh to seize the properties in a coordinated operation. All of these properties, according to the NIA, are "proceeds of terrorism," used to plan terror attacks and carry out major crimes.The properties that are attached belong to Vikas Singh, who harbours the terror gang in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The properties are Flat-77/4, Ashrey-1, Sulabh Awas Yojana, Sector-1, Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Two additional properties that were attached belonged to accused Dalip Kumar, also known as Bhola, Dalip Bishnoi, and were situated in the village of Bhishanpura, Fazilka, Punjab. 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 is suspected of harbouring terrorists, including those who may have been involved in the attack on Punjab Police Headquarters using rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). Joginder Singh is the father of Lawrence Bishnoi's close associate, the gangster Kala Rana. By letting gang members use his Fortuner vehicle to transport weapons and ammunition for terrorist acts, 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 house members of terrorist gangs. In August 2022, the NIA filed a UA(P)A case against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates' organised crime syndicate. According to the agency's investigations, the gang had established criminal networks akin to the mafia throughout multiple states in the nation. In addition to large-scale extortions from businessmen and professionals, these networks were involved in numerous sensational crimes, including the murders of social and religious leaders like Pardeep Kumar and popular Punjabi singer 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 prison operations all over 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 derived from the "proceeds of terrorism."
