NIA announces Rs 10L reward on SFJ's Jaswinder Singh Multani

New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) which recently lodged a case of unlawful activities prevention act against Germany-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) member Jaswinder Singh Multani, has now declared a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on him.

Releasing two pictures of Jaswinder Singh, the NIA has urged the public to help them in the terror case against him.

NIA sources have indicated that they are also probing his involvement in use of drones for smuggling activities across the border.

An NIA official on Wednesday said that for quite a long time, drones are being used for the purpose of smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives and drugs.

"Pakistan-based terrorists backed by ISI are involved in this. Jaswinder Singh Multani is in touch with them. He also has an Indian contact who receives smuggled arms, explosive and drugs. By this, he is pumping drugs and arms into the Indian territory. We are probing this and are collecting evidence in this respect," said a source.

Around 70 drone sightings cases were reported last year along the border in Punjab and Jammu. These drones were used by Pakistan-based elements to supply arms and narcotics in India.

Few drones were shot down by Border Security Forces. Another drone was sighted by the BSF, and even as the personnel tried to shoot it down and it flew back to Pakistan after dropping six packets containing narcotics, these were seized by the agencies.

Multani was booked by NIA for hatching conspiracy against India along with his associates.

"The case was registered on December 30, under sections 120B, 121A of IPC and sections 10, 13, 17, 18 & 18B of UA (P) Act, against Multani and his other associates. Multani was detained by German authorities in Berlin following the inputs of Indian agencies, he was later set free after he gave an affidavit to the German government saying he would assist in the probe," said an NIA official.

The official said that Multani along with several other pro-Khalistani elements located abroad are radicalising, motivating and recruiting youths in Punjab on ground and online through social media platforms to propagate their ideology with the aim to "secede Punjab from the Union of India".

"They have been involved in raising funds to procure arms, ammunition and explosives by using smuggling networks in Punjab to revive terrorism in Punjab. Jaswinder Singh Multani has also been in contact with ISI operatives to carry out terror attack in Mumbai and other parts of India," the NIA official said.

The NIA official said that a team of elite officials was formed to look into the matter, adding the probe agency wants to bring back Multani to India to prosecute him for his offence.