NIA attaches property of key accused in KLF narco-terror case in Amritsar

National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali on Wednesday ordered the attachment of property of key accused in the 2019 narco-terror case linked to international drugs smugglers and Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).

The immovable property under attachment belongs to a chargesheeted accused Varinder Singh Chahal. The property, measuring over 24 kanals, is located in Devidaspura village of Amritsar district under section 33 (1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

The case was registered by NIA on January 22, 2020, based on the original FIR dated May 31, 2019, when 500 grams of heroin and ₹1,20,000 drug money was seized from the accused identified as Jagbir Singh Samra, Varinder Chahal, and Harpreet Singh alias Happy.

Subsequent investigations in the case revealed that Varinder Chahal was a close associate of an international Dubai-based drug smuggler and money launderer, Jasmeet Singh Hakimzada, and was also close to Pakistan-based self-styled KLF chief Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD.

Chahal was engaged in the collection of heroin consignments from Kashmiri drug dealers on the directions of Hakimzada and Happy PhD, as part of a KLF narco-terror module.

The narco-terror network of KLF, a proscribed terrorist organisation, was being operated by these terrorists through India-based drug smugglers, the NIA investigations revealed.

NIA investigations in the case also showed that the narco-terror network being promoted by Hakimzada and Happy PhD was widespread and involved drug smugglers/terror operatives and Hawala operatives based in Punjab, J&K and Delhi.

NIA has established the role of Happy PhD in this network and also found that the money was being used to strengthen and expand KLF’s activities in India.

The other mastermind, Hakimzada, has been engaged in the promotion of narco-terror activities internationally and has been involved in the smuggling of heroin and psychotropic substances around the world.

The US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed financial sanctions against him by declaring him as a ‘significant foreign narcotics trafficker’.