North News Service | Chandigarh, July 20
In a major development, the NIA has arrested a key aide of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu, alias Landa, in a major terror network case involving the supply of deadly weapons for extortion from businessmen among others, said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in an official statement on Friday. Giving details, the NIA said that Baljeet Singh, alias Rana Bhai, alias Balli, hailing from Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh, was arrested on Thursday. He was said to be a major weapons supplier to Landa’s agents in Punjab, it said.
The weapons were used to carry out large-scale terror activities, including extortions from businessmen and others, the NIA statement further said. NIA’s investigations in the case had led to the arrest of one Gurpreet Singh Gopi, identified as an associate of Landa and of another Khalistani terrorist Satnam Singh Satta.
The NIA investigations reveled that Baljeet Singh had also provided weapons to Satta as part of a larger conspiracy of various banned Khalistani terrorist organisations to destabilise India by unleashing violent acts in Punjab and other places. Both Landa and Satta are believed to be operating from Canada to promote terror in India, it said.
The NIA is continuing with its investigation as part of its crackdown on the Khalistani terrorist outfits, the statement said.
