Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Four aides of KTF operative held with weapons in Moga

- HT Correspond­ent letterschd@hindustant­imes.com

MOGA: Moga police have arrested four associates of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh Dala, a close aide of KTF’S Canadabase­d chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, with three sophistica­ted weapons, 14 live cartridges and 300 grams of heroin.

The Union government has notified Nijjar as a “designated terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The accused have been identified as Amandeep Singh, alias Machher, of Ferozepur, Jaswinder Singh, alias Jassu, of Kokri Klan village, Balraj Singh and Arun Sarwan of Moga. They were booked under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act and 25 (6) (7), 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at the Mehna police station.

Moga senior superinten­dent of police (SSP) Dhruman H Nimbale said they arrested Amandeep with a Beretta M9 pistol, four live cartridges and 300gm of heroin. Arsh Dala contacted Amandeep through Facebook, where he lured and manipulate­d him to get his work done. Later, Arsh told him to collect the Beretta pistol from Jaswinder Singh.

“During investigat­ion, Jaswinder revealed that apart from Amandeep, he had given

Three sophistica­ted weapons, 14 live cartridges and 300 grams of heroin were recovered. DHRUMAN H NIMBALE, senior superinten­dent of police

two more Beretta pistols and 10 live cartridges to Balraj Singh and Arun Sarwan of Moga.

“Acting on the informatio­n, we arrested Balraj and Sarwan with two pistols, 10 live cartridges and a Mahindra Scorpio SUV,” he added.

“Preliminar­y investigat­ion reveals that Arsh had provided these weapons to his associates. We are trying to figure out how and from where he got these weapons,” said the SSP.

Police said Arsh, along with KTF’S Canada-based chief Nijjar, is co-conspirato­r behind targeted killing in Punjab, including murder of Dera Sacha Sauda follower and firing on a priest in Nijjar’s village. Besides, he was also the prime accused in murder of gangster Sukha Lamme and a trader in Moga. Currently, he is hiding in Surrey (BC) Canada. “We have been making all efforts to deport him to India and put on a criminal trial,” said the SSP.

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