Five Khalistani terrorists charge sheeted in arms smuggling via drone

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency has filed a charge sheet against five alleged Khalistani terrorists in a case of smuggling of narcotics, weapons and explosives across the India-Pakistan border via drones.

The accused were identified as Harmesh Singh alias Harmesh alias Kali, Darvesh Singh alias Shinda (both residents of Punjab's Ferozpur), Gurmukh Singh, a resident of Jalandhar, Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Kapurthala, and Lakhbir Singh Rode alias Baba, a resident of Moga.

The case was initially registered at Mamdot police station, in Ferozepur in August 2021 and the NIA had re-registered it in November 2021 under various sections of the Arms Act, the NDPS Act, the Explosive Substance Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The terror probe agency said that investigation revealed that the charge sheeted accused persons had smuggled illegal consignments of arms, ammunitions, explosives and narcotics from across the India-Pakistan border to carry out terror activities in India.

"These illegal consignments were sent by accused Lakhbir Singh Rode (chief of ISYF, a banned terrorist organisation) and his associates from Pakistan via drones," the NIA said.

According to the agency, the consignments were received by co-accused and further discreetly passed on to other accused persons involved in the conspiracy to carry out subversive activities in India.

"Incriminating evidence has been found against all the chargesheeted accused persons," it said.

Till now, five accused have been arrested in the case while Rode is absconding.