NIA files supplementary charge sheet against 4 members of KTF in recruitment, arms smuggling case

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday said that it has filed a supplementary charge sheet in connection with its probe into the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) recruitment and arms smuggling case against Amritpal Singh, Amrik Singh, Jassa Singh and Gagandeep Singh.

The first supplementary charge sheet was filed on Friday before the Special NIA Court in New Delhi.

An NIA official aid that a ‘listed individual terrorist’, Canada based Arshdeep Singh aka Arsh Dala, in association with accused Manpreet Singh aka Peeta, had indoctrinated and recruited Amritpal Singh aka Ammy, Amrik Singh, Jassa Singh and Gagandeep Singh aka Mithi into his terrorist gang.

The official said that operating from the Philippines, Amritpal Singh aka Ammy and Amrik Singh were actively engaged in inducting youth into the terrorist gang led by Arsh Dala.

“Their activities extended to smuggling of arms and explosives from Pakistan, as well as carrying out extortion and the subsequent channelisation of extortion proceeds for terrorist activities,” the official said.

“During the course of the investigations, the NIA successfully got deported Amritpal Singh aka Ammy and Amrik Singh from the Philippines,” the official said.

According to the NIA officials, the charge sheeted accused persons played a pivotal role, at the behest of Arsh Dala, in a larger conspiracy, primarily focused on raising funds for the Khalistan Tiger Force, an organisation proscribed by the Indian government.

“Investigations revealed that the accused persons had entered in a criminal conspiracy to raise funds for the terrorist organisation, Khalistan Tiger Force. Canada based ‘listed terrorist’ Arsh Dala and arrested accomplice Manpreet Singh orchestrated the recruitment of potential cadres, forming terrorist gangs in Punjab and carried out targeted killings and firings at the residences of potential victims, coercing them into comply with their extortion demands,” the official said.

The official said that NIA’s probe found that “extortion funds were being systematically channeled to various foreign countries through both banking and non-banking channels”.

“These illicit financial transactions were aimed at fueling terrorist activities in India,” the official said.

The official further said that during the probe it was also revealed that KTF operatives based abroad, were involved in regular recruitment and handling of their “terror syndicate associates from abroad”.

“They are also involved in the smuggling of arms, ammunition, and explosives from across the border through drones etc. These terror hardware supplies are then used for carrying out terrorist activities on Indian soil,” the official said.

Earlier, the NIA had filed charge sheet against nine accused persons in the case on July 22 this year.

The official further said that 12 other members of the KTF terrorist outfit and their associates, linked with the BKI and KTF are under investigations for their role and involvement in this terror conspiracy.