Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Sep 14: A special NIA court has forfeited the seized property of four associates of Pakistan-based “Khalistani” terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, the agency stated on Thursday. This action is a first of its kind and is a component of a new strategy to attack the finances of terrorist organizations.
The decision was made by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Panchkula, Haryana.
“This is the first time the NIA had proactively sought the properties of terrorists to be ‘forfeited to the State’ under section 26 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)Act after being attached as proceeds of terrorism,” the NIA said in a statement.
“Forfeiture of properties is a major new tool in NIA’s strategy to dismantle the terrorist ecosystem in the country,” it added.
The NIA has used this tactic to drain the financial assets of terrorist organisations as well as their agents and allies, the agency said.
Several properties linked to terrorism have already been attached by the NIA, and the courts are currently processing their forfeiture.
The NIA special court in the current case has granted the terror agency’s application for the confiscation of the assets, including Rs 7,80,000 in cash and a Toyota Innova Car (DL1VB-7869), which was used by the accused to transport weapons, ammo, explosives and drugs throughout India.
Three improvised explosive devices (IEDs), one pistol with two magazines, 31 rounds of ammunition and Rs. 1.30 lakh in cash were seized from the four suspects, Gurpreet Singh ali Gopi, Amandeep Singh alias Deepa, Parminder Singh alias Pinder and Bhupinder Singh, by the Haryana Police on May 5, 2022.
They were planning to transport the consignment in the Innova car, which had been particularly prepared to conceal the weapons and money, to Adilabad, Telangana.
Under many sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act 1908 and section 25 of the Arms Act, a case was filed at the Madhubhan Police Station in Haryana.
The NIA took over the case’s investigation on May 24, 2022. The four guys received many consignments of weapons, ammunition, explosives and drugs that were delivered from Pakistan by wanted terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu via drones, according to NIA investigations.
“The supplies were delivered at pre-determined locations near the Indo-Pak border. Further investigations showed that Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi had earned a lot of money by smuggling arms, ammunition, explosives and narcotics,” said the anti-terror agency.
The Innova car and Rs 7,80,000 in cash were seized by the NIA on March 30 of this year in accordance with the provisions of the 25 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 after receiving the appropriate approvals.
“The NIA Special Court Panchkula after thorough consideration of the matter, has now ordered confirmation of the seizures and forfeited the said property under section 26 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 to the State on the grounds that the same constituted ‘proceeds of terrorism’,” said the NIA.
“Investigations in the case are continuing,” it added.
