Terrorist-gangster-narco nexus: NIA nabs 3 after raids, seizes weapons

The National Investigation Agency on Thursday said it has arrested three people after conducting massive country-wide raids against the terrorist-gangster-narcotics smuggler nexus.

The three have been identified as Parveen Wadhwa alias Prince, Irfan alias Chenu and Jassa Singh.

Wadhwa, who hails from Bhiwani in Haryana, was found "liaising" with certain notorious gangsters, including Lawrence Bishnoi in jail.

The agency seized weapons from the house of Irfan from New Seelampur (Delhi), who is also "associated with dreaded gangsters."

Jassa Singh, a resident of Moga in Punjab, was working at the behest of Canada-based 'listed terrorist' Arsh Dhalla, the NIA said in a statement.

"Parveen was in regular touch with Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang members Deepak alias Tinu and Sampat Nehra, along with other associates. He was working as their special messenger from inside jails," it said.

Similarly, Irfan disclosed "his involvement in a terror conspiracy involving gangster Kaushal Choudhary and his associates Sunil Balyan alias Tillu Tajpuria, among others," the NIA said.

He (Irfan) has been arraigned as an accused following the raids that also led to the recovery of arms, the agency said.

The role of Jassa Singh, the NIA said, has been "established" in the Khalistan terror conspiracy and he had delivered a pistol at the instance of Arsh Dalla.

The agency launched the raids, under an operation named 'Dhvast' (demolish), on Wednesday at a total of 324 locations in coordination with the Haryana and Punjab Police.

The NIA has said investigations in these cases are connected with conspiracies related to targeted killings, terror funding of pro-Khalistan outfits, extortion and other such criminal activities.

Some of these cases include the killing of Maharashtra builder Sanjay Biyani and international Kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambia in Punjab last year, it said.

"NIA investigations have so far revealed that the conspiracies were being hatched in jails of different states and were being executed by an organised network of operatives based abroad.

The spotlight on these gangs has become sharper after reports of several prisons becoming havens of the deadly nexus and hubs of gang wars, which recently resulted in violence and murder inside Goindwal jail and Tihar jail," the NIA said.

The agency said many criminals, who were leading the gangsters in India, had fled to countries such as Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia and Australia, from where they were engaged in planning serious crimes, in association with criminals lodged in jails across India.

These groups were carrying out targeted killings and raising funds for their nefarious activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons, hawala and extortions, it said.