Six liked to KZF get life term for smuggling arms via drones in Punjab

A special NIA court in Mohali on Monday awarded life imprisonment to six persons linked to the proscribed Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) to life imprisonment for smuggling explosives and arms through drones in Punjab for launching a terror attack in 2019.

NIA took over the case from Punjab Police in October 2019.

The court of Manjot Kaur, special judge, NIA, Mohali, awarded rigorous imprisonment (RI) for life to Akashdeep Singh, Balwant Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Balbir Singh, Maan Singh and Gurdev Singh, while accused Shubhdeep Singh, Sajanpreet Singh and Romandeep Singh have been sentenced to 10-year rigorous imprisonment.

As per NIA investigations, the accused were involved in collecting, transporting and smuggling huge caches of arms, ammunition, explosives, communication devices and fake Indian currency notes (FICN) sent into India via drones by Germany-based terrorist Gurmeet Singh alias Bagga and Pakistan-based terrorist Ranjeet Singh alias Neeta, both linked to proscribed terrorist organisation KZF.

Accused held with huge cache of arms

As per the NIA, on September 22, 2019, the counter-intelligence wing in Amritsar received information that Bagga was in contact with Neeta, KZF chief and Maan Singh, who was then lodged in Amritsar jail. The trio were connected via social media and mobile phones and were planning to revive terrorism in Punjab to further the Khalistan cause.

According to the NIA probe, Maan Singh influenced Akashdeep Singh, who was also lodged in Amritsar jail with him.

After being released on bail, Akashdeep Singh planned to transport consignments of arms, ammunition, weapons, and FICN sent to India through a drone by Neeta from Pakistan.

The said consignments were received by Akashdeep Singh and his associates Balwant Singh, Balbir Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Shubhdeep Singh.

On September 22, 2019, police nabbed Akashdeep Singh of Majitha, Balwant Singh of Mohanpur Warhing, Balbir Singh and Harbhajan Singh of Hoshiarpur while travelling in a car near Chohla Sahib. A case was registered at the SSOC police station in Amritsar and later NIA took over the probe.

Police recovered four pistols from the pockets of the accused and later during the search of the car, cops recovered ₹10 lakh fake currency notes, nine hand grenades, four magazines of .30-bore pistol, five AK-47 rifles with 11 magazines, 52 live cartridges/rounds of .30-bore pistol and 473 live cartridges of AK-47 rifle, five satellite phones, five chargers, three batteries of satellite phones, two walkie-talkie sets with antennas, and two mobile phones with SIMs of Pakistan Telynor company from the car.

Akashdeep during his interrogation disclosed that following Bagga’s directions, he collected a consignment of arms and ammunition from the area of Rakhbhusey, Saraye Amanat Khan and that the consignment had come into India through drones.

He collected the consignment along with his associates Shubhdeep Singh alias Shubh, Sajanpreet Singh alias Sajan and Romandeep, the probe said.

In 2019, NIA took over and re-registered the case under the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act; Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and under sections 489-A, 489-B, 489 C, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

The explosives and arms were drone-dropped at specified locations in the Tarn Taran district at various intervals during August and September 2019, the NIA probe said.