NIA chargesheets 8 more accused in 2020 narco-terror network case

New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday charge-sheeted eight more accused persons in the 2020 transnational narco-terror network case involving smuggling of drugs into Gujarat from Pakistan via sea route.

The smuggling was aimed at financing the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the NIA said in a statement.

In the eighth supplementary chargesheet filed in the Salaya (Gujarat) drugs case, the probe agency has conclusively established the narco-terror conspiracy masterminded by Italy-based Simranjit Singh Sandhu, Australia-based Tanveer Bedi and India-based Ankush Kapoor, it said.

The chargesheet has been filed before the NIA special court in Ahmedabad based on extensive digital, technical, and documentary evidences.

Besides Singh, Bedi and Kapoor, other accused persons named in the chargesheet are Pakistani national Tariq alias Bhaijaan, Gagandeep Singh Arora, Tamanna Gupta, Sukhbir Singh alias Happy, and Anwar Masih, the statement said.

The case pertains to smuggling of 500 kg of heroin from Pakistan into Gujarat and further transportation to Punjab. The proceeds from the sale of the drugs were used for funding the activities of LeT, it said.

The NIA's investigations have revealed that the narco-terror conspiracy was spread across many Indian states, including Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh, and several countries, including Italy, Australia, the UAE, Pakistan, Iran and Thailand.

According to the investigations, Kapoor was a key mastermind in India and responsible for managing the on-ground activities of the narco-terror syndicate in Punjab.

He coordinated logistics, storage and local distribution of the contraband and actively facilitated funding for the accused persons based both in India and abroad, the NIA said.

Singh was also responsible for organising transportation, storage, processing of the illegal drugs and the terror funding, it said.

The investigations further revealed that Tariq played a pivotal role in coordinating the smuggling of heroin into India, overseeing its transportation, facilitating its distribution in Punjab, and channelising the proceeds for financing LeT operatives, the NIA said.

Bedi was actively involved in both the smuggling and transfer of proceeds from the sale of drugs through international hawala channels to fund the LeT's terror activities in India, it said.

Tamanna, Sukhbir Singh and Masih have been charged for their deliberate roles in the terror funding conspiracy, according to the statement.

A hawala operator, Gagandeep Singh Arora, who is on the run, has also been charge-sheeted for facilitating laundering of huge amounts of money and illegal fund transfers to terror operatives, the NIA said.

A total of 26 accused have been arrested in the case so far while eight accused persons are absconding, it said.

The NIA said it is continuing with its investigation to track the absconders and destroy the syndicate as part of its efforts to eliminate the nexus between narcotics trafficking and terrorism. PTI AKV DIV DIV