NIA attaches property in narco-terror case, arrests accused in murder case

The NIA has arrested one accused wanted in a murder case and attached two immovable properties from Punjab. The first case is related to VHP leader. The agency has arrested accused  Manveer Ram alias Ashu in the case relating to the targeted killing of VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar in Nangal, Punjab.Ashu, was detained by immigration authorities at Amritsar International Airport on Thursday on the basis of a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the NIA. He was subsequently arrested by the agency. According to the NIA probe, the conspiracy to eliminate Prabhakar was hatched by Germany-based handlers of the proscribed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), identified as Harjit Singh alias Laddi and Kulbeer Singh alias Sidhu.The NIA took over the investigation on 09th May, 2024 and has so far filed a chargesheet along with two supplementary chargesheets.
Investigators have revealed that Manveer Ram was recruited to arrange firearms for executing the killing. He operated from the UAE and acted as a crucial link between the Germany-based handlers and firearm suppliers and other associates in India. The NIA has further established that his role was to facilitate contact between the foreign-based conspirators and their operatives in India, thereby assisting the execution of the targeted killing.
In another case, NIA on Thursday attached two immovable properties in Amritsar belonging to accused Anwar Masih in connection with the 500-kg heroin smuggling case, which involved a transnational narco-terror conspiracy. The attachment was carried out under Section 25(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The case, popularly known as the Salaya drug seizure case, relates to the smuggling of 500 kg of heroin from Pakistan to India through a sea route.
According to the NIA, its investigation has revealed Masih’s involvement in a transnational network extending across Italy, Australia, the UAE, Thailand, Iran and Pakistan. The network was engaged in the smuggling and distribution of narcotics and channelising the proceeds to finance terrorist activities linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The agency said the investigation had established the linkage of the attached properties with proceeds connected to terrorism, resulting in their attachment under the anti-terror law.
The attachment proceedings were conducted on August 13 in the presence of witnesses and with the assistance of revenue authorities. The attachment order was served and read out before being affixed at the properties, and an Attachment Memorandum/Panchanama was prepared. So far, 26 accused persons have been arrested in the case after registering the case in 2020. 

(Freelance Journalist)