New Delhi: A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Panchkula, Haryana, forfeited the seized property of four aides of Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda.
This is the first time the NIA has proactively sought the properties of terrorists to be ‘forfeited to the state’ under section 26 of UAPA after being attached as proceeds of terrorism.
“Forfeiture of properties is a major new tool in NIA’s strategy to dismantle the terrorist ecosystem in the country. The NIA has adopted this strategy to squeeze the financial resources of the terrorist outfits as well as their operatives and associates. The agency has already attached several terrorist-linked properties, and the process of their forfeiture is underway in various different courts,” an agency official said.
The official said that in the instant case, the NIA court has approved the terror agency’s application seeking the forfeiture of the property, including Rs 7,80,000 in cash and a Toyota Innova Car (DL1VB-7869), which was used by the accused for transporting arms, ammunition, explosives, and narcotics across India.
The Haryana Police on May 5, 2022, seized three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one pistol with two magazines, 31 rounds of ammunition, and Rs 1.30 lakhs in cash from the four accused, Gurpreet Singh, Amandeep Singh, Parminder Singh, and Bhupinder Singh.
They were going to deliver the consignment to Adilabad, Telangana, in the Innova car, in which a specially designed cavity had been created to hide the arms and cash.
A case was registered at Madhubhan police station in Haryana, under sections 13, 18, and 20 of the UAPA, sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act, and section 25 of the Arms Act.
On May 24, 2022, the NIA took over the investigations in the case.
Investigations by NIA revealed that the four men had received multiple consignments of arms, ammunition, explosives, and narcotics, which were sent via drones from Pakistan by Rinda.
The supplies were delivered at predetermined locations near the India-Pakistan border.
Further investigations reveaked that Gurpreet Singh had earned a lot of money by smuggling arms, ammunition, explosives, and narcotics.
“Extensive investigations led to the seizure of the Innova car and Rs. 7,80,000 cash by the NIA on March 30 under the provisions under section 25 of the UAPA after approvals of the competent authority. The NIA court after thorough consideration of the matter, has now ordered the confirmation of the seizures and forfeited the said property under section 26 of the UAPA to the state on the grounds that the same constituted ‘proceeds of terrorism’,” the official said.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
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