NIA attaches 4 properties of Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate members in 3 states

PTI, Jan 6, 2024, 6:51 PM IST

Representative image (source: PTI)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday attached four properties owned by members of the Lawrence Bishnoi organised terror-crime syndicate in three states, an official said.

This action is another major step towards demolishing the terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler nexus in the country, the spokesperson of the federal agency said.

The properties — three immovable and one movable — were attached in a coordinated action in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the official said.

The spokesperson said the NIA found that all these properties were ”proceeds of terrorism” and used for hatching terror conspiracies and executing serious crimes. The attached properties include a flat at the Gomti Nagar Extension in Lucknow, which belonged to Vikas Singh, a harbourer of the terror gang in Uttar Pradesh.

Two other properties attached in the action are located in Bhishanpura village in Punjab’s Fazilka and these are owned by accused Dalip Kumar alias ”Bhola” alias ”Dalip Bishnoi”, the spokesperson said and added that an SUV, registered in the name of Joginder Singh of Yamunanagar in Haryana, was also seized.

Citing findings of investigations, the official said Vikas Singh is an associate of Lawrence Bishnoi who has harboured terrorists, including those involved in the rocket-propelled grenade attack on the Punjab Police headquarters in December 2022. Joginder Singh, the father of gangster Kala Rana, a close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi, was facilitating the syndicate’s members by allowing them to use his SUV for transporting arms and ammunition for promoting terrorist acts, the official said.

The property belonging to accused Dalip Kumar was being used as a shelter or warehouse for storing and concealing weapons, and also for harbouring terrorist group members, the spokesperson said. The NIA had registered a case against the organised crime syndicate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates under the UA(P)A in August 2022.

The agency’s investigations showed that the gang had its mafia-style criminal networks in several states of the country. Members of these networks were involved in many sensational crimes such as the murders of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and religious and social leaders like Pardeep Kumar, the official said and added that they were also involved in large-scale extortions from businessmen and professionals.

The official said investigations have also revealed that many terror conspiracies were masterminded from abroad, including Pakistan and Canada, or by leaders of organised terror syndicates operating from prisons in India.

The spokesperson said as part of its efforts to disrupt and dismantle such terror and mafia networks and their support infrastructure, the NIA has adopted several targeted strategies in recent months, including attachment and seizure of properties derived from ”proceeds of terrorism”.