NIA arrests two 'wanted' aides of terrorist Arsh Dhalla at Delhi airport
They were nabbed in an early morning operation by NIA officials who were waiting at the airport for their flight to land.
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New Delhi, May 19: The National Investigation Agency on Friday arrested two 'wanted' accused and close aides of Canada-based designated terrorist Arsh Dhalla, upon their arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, from Manila, Philippines.The duo, identified as Amritpal Singh and Amrit Singh, hail from Punjab but had been living in Manila.
They were nabbed in an early morning operation by NIA officials who were waiting at the airport for their flight to land.The accused had non-bailable arrest warrants issued against them by the NIA court in Delhi in a case related to the unlawful and violent activities of banned organisations in India.
They also have several criminal cases registered against them in Punjab.NIA too had registered a suo moto case (RC-37/2022/NIA/DLI) on August 20 last year under various sections of IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
NIA investigations so far have revealed that the accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy to raise funds for the banned terrorist organization Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), and also smuggle arms, ammunition and explosives for it from across the border.
NIA NABS 2 WANTED ASSOCIATES OF CANADA BASED ‘LISTED TERRORIST’
— NIA India (@NIA_India) May 19, 2023
ARSH DHALLA ON ARRIVAL FROM MANILA pic.twitter.com/dnSMugaZzE
They had been working for individual designated terrorist Arshdeep Singh Dhalla to promote violent criminal activities of the KTF in India, according to NIA. In association with another notorious wanted accused Manpreet Singh alias Peeta, they had been involved in smuggling weapons from Pakistan and recruitment of youth to carry out acts of violence and terror in the country at the behest of the KTF.
They were also part of an extortion racket meant to raise funds for the banned outfit.The accused, NIA said on Friday, used to identify extortion targets, including businessmen, and then threaten them into parting with huge amounts. In case the identified targets refused, their homes and other premises would be fired at by the accused’s India-based associates.
The arrest of the two Arsh Dalla aides is part of NIA’s continuous crackdown on individual terrorists and terrorist outfits engaged in a criminal conspiracy to smuggle terrorist hardware, such as arms, ammunition, explosives etc, and raise funds for carrying out terrorist acts on the Indian soil.