Gangster-terror nexus: NIA arrests 9th accused who supplied weapons used in Moosewala’s killing

NEW DELHI, (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested the ninth accused in connection with an ongoing case linked to the criminal conspiracy hatched by members of criminal syndicates or gangs based in India and abroad to raise funds and recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in the different parts of the country.

The Central probe agency arrested Shahbaz Ansari alias Shezad on Thursday following inputs that he had “supplied arms and ammunition to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and the same weapons were used in the killing of famous Singer Sidhu Moosewala”.

Ansari, a resident of Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh, has been booked in a case being probed by the agency against syndicate and gang members who executed and planned to execute spectacular heinous crimes, including targeted killings, with an intention to strike terror in the minds of the people of the country. The case was initially registered on August 4 this year by the Special Cell of Delhi Police Colony and re-registered by the NIA on August 26.

Earlier, on October 18 this year, the NIA had searched the house of Ansari and seized many incriminating documents, articles, illegally acquired property papers, digital devices, and star-brand pistols. A total of eight accused persons have been arrested in this case so far. In this case, the NIA also carried out searches at 13 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR).

The places raided by the NIA included Fazilka, Taran Taran, Ludhiana, Sangrur and Mohali, districts of Punjab; Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana; Sikar district of Rajasthan and Outer North District of Delhi and NCR to dismantle and disrupt the emerging nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers or traffickers based in India and abroad in two cases registered in August 2022.

In October, the NIA arrested an advocate here and a gangster from Haryana following a mega search operation conducted during the day at 52 locations across north India’s four states and the Union Territory of Delhi.

The arrested advocate was identified as Asif Khan, a resident of Gautam Vihar in the Usmanpur area of North East Delhi. The agency sleuths arrested him after they recovered four weapons and a few pistols (in semi-knocked down condition), along with ammunition, from his house during searches conducted at his residence. In September, the NIA also conducted searches at 52 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi as well as the National Capital Region (NCR).

The NIA crackdown followed the launch of investigations against this nexus by the agency after the re-registration of two cases, earlier registered by Delhi Police, on August 26 this year. A few gang leaders and their associates based in India and abroad, who are spearheading and carrying out such terror and criminal activities were identified and booked. (ANI)