NIA chargesheets key associate of Khalistani terrorists in Punjab terror conspiracy case

The chargesheet against Gurpreet Singh, also known as Gopi, from Tarn Taran (Punjab), was submitted to the NIA Special Court in Mohali. The NIA has identified him as an associate of internationally designated terrorists Harwinder Singh Sandhu, aka Rinda, and Lakhbir Singh, aka Landa, who are affiliated with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).

Investigations by the anti-terror agency have established his role in a conspiracy hatched by the BKI terrorists to unleash terror in Punjab and other parts of the country. The accused was involved in the RPG attack on Police Station Sarhali in December 2022, as per NIA investigations, which have revealed that he had remained in contact with his foreign-based handlers from jail even after his release from jail in that case. NIA investigations have further found that Gurpreet had conspired to raise funds for BKI and its operatives in India through large-scale extortion from businessmen on the directions of Landa. "Landa had recruited vulnerable youth for the BKI terror module. He had additionally carried out recce of the targets identified by Landa and had made attempts to eliminate those targets," said the NIA. NIA, which had seized an illegal weapon from the accused's house during a search operation in January this year, has charged him under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Indian Penal Code, and Arms Act. (ANI)