MOHALI, India (Diya TV) — A special court of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Mohali has found nine persons guilty of their role in a 2019 case related to the smuggling of arms and explosives into Punjab via drones, which was connected to the banned terror outfit Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF).
The court found the accused guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, and Explosive Substances Act. The convicted individuals are Akashdeep Singh, Balwant Singh, Balbir Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Maan Singh, Shubhdeep Singh, Sajanpreet Singh, Gurdev Singh, and Romandeep Singh. Among them, Akashdeep Singh, Balwant Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Balbir Singh, Maan Singh, and Gurdev Singh received life imprisonment sentences, while Shubhdeep Singh, Sajanpreet Singh, and Romandeep Singh were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, along with fines.
Investigations showed that the accused were engaged in receiving, shipping, and smuggling huge stocks of arms, ammunition, explosives, communication equipment, and counterfeit Indian currency notes (FICN) imported into India through drones by Germany-based terrorist Gurmeet Singh, alias Bagga, and Pakistan-based terrorist Ranjeet Singh, alias Neeta. These drone-dropped consignments were delivered at specified locations in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district during August and September 2019.
The conspiracy aimed to launch terrorist attacks in Punjab to instill fear among the populace and disrupt national peace, security, and unity, with the ultimate goal of waging war against the Government of India.
The NIA took over the investigation from the Amritsar police in October 2019, registering the case as RC-21/2019/NIA/DLI. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the nine accused and the recovery of significant quantities of arms, ammunition, explosives, communication devices, and FICN. The agency also issued non-bailable warrants against Gurmeet Singh and Ranjeet Singh, who are currently residing in Germany and Pakistan, respectively.
