The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 6 people, including a close associate of Canada-based designated militant Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, in connection with the gangster-militant case, an official said on Thursday.
The arrested Khalistani militant has been identified as Lucky Khokhar alias Denis.
Recently, raids were conducted at 76 locations across the nation which led to the arrests.
According to the central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency, the arrested were identified as Lucky Khokhar, Lakhvir Singh, Harpreet, Dalip Bishnoi, Surinder alias Chiku Chaudhary and Hari Om alias Titu.
Khokhar, a resident of Bathinda in Punjab, was nabbed from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, on Tuesday. He was in direct and frequent touch with Arsh Dalla and had carried out recruitment for him. Khokhar received funds from him for carrying out terror-related activities, the official said.
“He had provided arms and ammunition to Arsh Dalla’s associates in Punjab on his directions, which were also used for carrying out the recent killing in Jagraon, Punjab, on directions of Dalla,” said the NIA.
The NIA had registered a suo-motu case on August 20, 2022 against seven people, including Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, and Arshdeep Singh. One person, Deepak Ranga, was earlier arrested in the case by the NIA.
Khokhar was working for Dalla, who has been involved in smuggling arms, ammunition, explosives, IEDs across international and inter-state borders in India for several Khalistani terror outfits, including the Khalistan Liberation Force, Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation.
