Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 4
Sleuths of anti-terror probe agency NIA today conducted searches in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts, and recovered Rs 20 lakh (drug proceeds) besides 130 (9 mm) rounds and other incriminating documents as part of its probe in the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) narco-terror funding case.
A senior National Investigation Agency (NIA) official said the raids were conducted on the premises of suspect Manpreet Singh, a resident of Teja Khurd in Batala, Gurdaspur district. Manpreet is alleged to be “a close associate of charge-sheeted accused Ranjit Singh, alias Cheetah, and Iqbal Singh, alias Shera, in connection with the case”, he added.
Naikoo connection
- Case relates to arrest of Hizbul Mujahideen’s Hilal Ahmad Shergojri, an aide of outfit’s then commander Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo
- Naikoo had visited Amritsar to collect funds to further terrorist activities in Jamp;K
- A sum of Rs29L along with a truck was seized from the accused by the Punjab Police on April 25, 2020
“During investigation, it was revealed Manpreet Singh, a hawala operator, had collected heroin, drug proceeds and weapons, and transported these in his car as per Ranjit’s directions. Further, Manpreet delivered the drugs proceeds to the tune of Rs 35 lakh and weapons to charge-sheeted accused Bikram Singh, alias Vicky, a relative of Ranjeet, in March, 2020,” the NIA official said.
“During search, Rs 20 lakh (drug proceeds), 130 live rounds, mobile phones, a pen drive, a bunch of polythene bags used for packing heroin, a car, a two-wheeler, documents related to properties and other incriminating documents were seized,” the official said.
The case relates to the arrest of Hilal Ahmad Shergojri, an over-ground worker of HM and a close associate of Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, the then commander of the terror outfit, who had come to Amritsar to collect funds to further terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. A sum of Rs 29 lakh along with a truck was seized from the accused by the Punjab Police on April 25, 2020.
The case was originally registered on April 25, 2020, at the Sadar police station, Amritsar City, under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the NIA official said, adding sections of the NDPS Act were subsequently added.
The case was re-registered by the NIA on May 8, 2020, and taken up for investigation. The NIA has filed chargesheets against 11 persons at a special court in Mohali in the case, he said.
NIA seizes Rs20L drug money, 130 bullets
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