Punjab Police’s State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) busted a terrorist recruitment, funding and aiding module with the arrest of a Pakistan-based terrorist Lakhbir Rode’s close associate, identified as Paramjit Singh, alias Punjab Singh, alias Dhadi, from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar.
Paramjit Singh, a British citizen and founder member of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), was initially involved in terror activities in Punjab in early 90s and was later arrested in 2003. He was convicted in cases pertaining to terrorist activities.
After completion of his sentence, the accused returned to the UK but continued his activities with the ISYF by working as a motivator, recruiter and fund raiser for the organisation in the UK and other European countries.
Director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said in 2021, Dhadi’s name was figured for his involvement in reorganising of ISYF cadre in Punjab by arranging and providing funds and militant hardware to target specific persons for disrupting peace and harmony in the state. Following Dhadi’s involvement in terror funding and other subversive activities in Punjab, an LOC (lookout circular) was issued to ensure his arrest, he said.
The DGP said investigation is on to unearth and expose the whole terrorist network.
{{/usCountry}}The DGP said investigation is on to unearth and expose the whole terrorist network.
{{/usCountry}}Sharing more details, an SSOC spokesperson said Dhadi was detained by immigration authorities at the Amritsar airport on Monday, while he was going to board a plane to the UK on a British passport in the name of Punjab Singh.
Subsequently, the accused was arrested in a case under sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 18-B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act, section 25 of the Arms Act, sections 21, 25, 27-A and 29 of the NDPS Act and sections 120, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) registered at SSOC police station in Amritsar.
He said during preliminary investigations, it came to light that Dhadi was regularly in touch with Lakhbir Singh Rode. The accused was a frequent visitor to Pakistan and on the instructions of Rode, he used to identify and handpick youth using social media platforms to motivate them to be part of terrorist activities, he said.
Rode, 72, who was the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF)’s self-styled head and nephew of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, died of cardiac arrest in Pakistan. He was listed as an ‘individual terrorist’ under the UAPA.