NIA conducts raids at over 50 places; arms seized

New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at over 50 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi-NCR to dismantle and disrupt the emerging nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers and traffickers based in India and abroad, sources said.

According to the information, a few of the most desperate gang leaders and their associates based in India and abroad, who are spearheading and carrying out such terror and criminal activities were identified, and two cases were registered by the NIA in August against them.

"Today was the second round of the searches which were conducted by the centre agency," an NIA official said.

"The second round of raids and searches is part of the NIA crackdown on top gangsters, their criminal and business associates based in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, and arms suppliers based in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Their associates involved in illegal liquor supply mafia were also raided today. Premises of Rajesh a.k.a. Raju Mota -- a resident of Sonepat was also searched, he is a drug peddler," the NIA official said.

According to the information, "the raids were carried out in Abohar, Bhatinda, Muktsar Sahab, Moga, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Mohali districts of Punjab, east Gurugram, Bhiwani, Yamuna Nagar, Sonepat, Mahendragarh, Manesar, Rewari, Rohtak and Jhajjar districts of Haryana, Churu, Bharatpur and Alwar districts of Rajasthan Noida, Bulanshehar and Sonbhadra districts, and Dwarka, outer-north, central, outer and north-east districts of Delhi-NCR".

During the searches, five pistols have been seized, along with ammunition, which includes a cache of 4 pistols from the house of an advocate, Asif Khan who lives in north-east Delhi. He was connected with various gangsters of Haryana and Delhi.

Few weapons in semi-knocked down condition have also been recovered.

Apart from the above, incriminating documents, digital devices, details about benami property created through proceeds of crime, cash, gold bars and gold jewellery from Khurja , Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh), threat letters, etc., have also been seized by the NIA.

"Investigations have revealed that these gangs were carrying out targeted killings and were also raising funds to carry out such criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons. The recent sensational crimes and extortion calls by criminal syndicates and gangsters to businessmen, professionals, including doctors etc., had created a widespread scare among the people. These gangs were using cyber-space to publicise these crimes to create terror among the public at large," the official said.

The NIA has also learnt that there was a deep-rooted conspiracy among terrorists, gangsters and drug smuggling cartels and networks, who were operating from both within and outside the country.

Many gang leaders and members had fled India, and have been operating from foreign countries including Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, etc.

Ongoing probe by the NIA in cases being investigated by the agency, such as the killing of Shaurya Chakra Awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh in Punjab also revealed that most of these conspiracies were being hatched from inside jails of different states and were being executed by an organised network of operatives based in abroad.