NIA charge-sheet against 3 pro-Khalistan terrorists uncovers complex money trail

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against three 'listed individual terrorists' - Rinda, Dala and Landa and six others allegedly associated with banned terrorist organisations --  Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) on Saturday. According to the NIA, the three terrorists have links with gangs operating in North India, including local gangsters and organised criminal syndicates. 

The three listed individual terrorists -- Rinda (Harwinder Singh Sandhu) said to be associated with BFI, Dala (Arshdip Singh) of the KTF and Landa (Lakhbir Singh Sandhu) are all based outside India and have created terror networks inside India, the NIA charge-sheet says. The charge-sheet further says that they have links to Pakistan-based Khalistani operatives.  

On the money trail 

The NIA investigation has revealed a complex funding mechanism used by the accused that uses both formal and informal channels. The funds are said to have been routed through India-based associates of the three terrorists. The NIA probe revealed that Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS) or other means were used in a way the identities of both the real sender and the receiver are completely masked. The NIA is also investigating links of 17 others associated with BKI and KTF. 

The three terrorists 

1. Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda

Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda

• Rinda is a prominent member of BKI and a pro-Khalistan operative, the NIA charge-sheet says.  "In the year 2018-19, he fled to Pakistan illegally and is currently living there under the patronage of ISI, and is involved in the commission of terrorist activities against India," an NIA spokesperson said. 

• Rinda is an accused in various offences, including smuggling of arms, murders and extortion. 

• He is an accused in several terrorist activities, including the RPG attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in May 2022. 

2. Arshdeep Singh alias Dala 

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  Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala

• Arshdeep Singh alias Dala is from Punjab's Moga. He is an infamous gangster in India according to the NIA, who escaped to Canada.

• In Canada, he is said to have come in contact with Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the proscribed terrorist organisation KTF. 

• Dala has been accused of extortion and being involved in targetted killings of businessmen and community leaders in Punjab. 

• Dala was declared an 'individual terrorist' by the Government of India in 2023. 

Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa

(Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa)

• Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa is said to have been involved in criminal and gangster activities. In 2017, he left for Canada. In Canada, he came in touch with BKI terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu.

• He was declared a main accused in the RPG attack on Punjab Police Headquarters in May 2022 and the RPG attack on Sarhali Police Station in Tarn Taran in December 2022. 

• Landa is also said to be the mastermind of the conspiracy to kill Punjab Police sub-inspector Dilbag Singh in August 2022. 

Other foreign based BKI nodes chargesheeted by NIA are Harjot Singh, a resident of Punjab and currently in USA; Kashmir Singh Galwadi, resident of Punjab and an absconding accused of Nabha Jail break case and suspected to be presently in Nepal and Tarsem Singh, brother of Landa, and currently in Dubai. Gurjant Singh, resident of Punjab and currently in Australia, is amongst the foreign based nodes of KTF who has been chargesheeted.

Other accused chargesheeted by NIA are Deepak Ranga and Lucky Khokhar alias Denis, who were recruited by foreign-based handlers for carrying out terror activities in India. Accused Deepak Ranga was charged by accused Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda and Lakhbir Sandhu alias Landa for carrying out the RPG attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters, Mohali, Punjab in May 2022.