NIA arrests KTF member: Extortion, arms smuggling, fundraising allegations emerge

| Updated: 08 February, 2024 9:41 pm IST
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NEW DELHI: In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended Fateh Singh Nagri, also known as Yuvraj Ghumman, a close associate of Arshdeep Dalla and Manpreet Singh, linked to the Khalistani Terrorist Force (KTF).

According to sources, Ghumman stands accused of actively recruiting young people in Punjab for orchestrating terrorist activities throughout India. The arrested KTF members are allegedly connected to extortion operations and the smuggling of arms across the border.

While the NIA has not officially commented on the matter yet, insider reports suggest a larger conspiracy at play. An undisclosed NIA source revealed, “They were playing a vital role in the larger terror conspiracy against India by raising funds for the proscribed terrorist organisation KTF through large-scale extortions in India, channelling the money into illicit businesses, and transferring it to various countries through the hawala network.”

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Further investigations revealed a sophisticated scheme where the accused were allegedly involved in targeting businessmen, high-net-worth people, and professionals. In instances of non-compliance with their extortion demands, they resorted to violent measures, including firing shots in front of victims’ residences.

The NIA’s probe has exposed a web of criminal activity, indicating that the extorted funds were being funnelled abroad through various financial channels to fuel terrorist operations against India. The network, comprising operatives based overseas and operating within India, was reportedly engaged in recruiting and guiding local criminal associates, alongside arms and ammunition smuggling facilitated through diverse means, including drones.

Previously, the NIA had filed chargesheets against 13 suspects in this case in July and November of last year. Currently, 10 additional suspects associated with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and KTF are under scrutiny for their involvement in the conspiracy.

 

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