New Delhi: Following the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) seizure of properties belonging to Canada-based “designated individual terrorist” Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, reports indicate that the Indian government has instructed investigative agencies to locate properties owned by other wanted terrorists residing abroad.
According to sources with knowledge of the matter, the government has directed these agencies to pinpoint the properties of Khalistani terrorists settled in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, with the intent to cancel their Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status to prevent them from entering India.
This move by the government comes on the heels of the NIA’s actions against Pannun, which resulted in the confiscation of his properties in Chandigarh and Amritsar.
The government believes that this step will serve a dual purpose: financially straining these terrorists with Indian connections and preventing them from entering the country.
Sources suggest that the government has identified 19 fugitive Khalistani terrorists residing in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and others. These individuals, their properties, and their locations are as follows:
- Paramjit Singh Pamma (UK)
- Wadhwa Singh Babbar aka Chacha (Pakistan)
- Kulwant Singh Muthda (UK)
- JS Dhaliwal (US)
- Sukhpak Singh (UK)
- Harriet Singh aka Rana Sungh (US)
- Sarabjit Singh Benoor (UK)
- Kulwant Singh aka Kanta (UK)
- Harjap Singh aka Jappi Dingh (US)
- Ranjit Singh Neeta (Pakistan)
- Gurmeet Singh aka Bagga
- Gurpreet Singh aka Baaghi (UK)
- Jasmin Singh Hakimzada (UAE)
- Gurjant Singh Dhillon (Australia)
- Jasbit Singh Rode (Europe and Canada)
- Amardeep Singh Purewal (US)
- Jatinder Singh Grewal (Canada)
- Dupinder Jeet (UK)
- S Himmat Singh (US)
The government plans to invoke section 33(5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P)A) to confiscate their properties.
Previously, security agencies had identified a group of 11 individuals believed to be involved in both gang activities and terrorism, residing in Canada, the United States, and Pakistan. This list includes individuals like Harvinder Sandhu, Lakhbir Singh, Sukhdool Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Charnjit Singh, Sanawer Dhillon, Gurpinder Singh, Gaurav Patyal Lucky, and Anmol Bishnoi.
The government’s actions are expected to address concerns related to terrorists holding OCI cards who could potentially influence impressionable youths to join their cause in India. NIA investigations in the Pannun case have revealed that his organization, Sikhs for Justice, was exploiting cyberspace to radicalize and incite youth to commit terrorist acts.
Furthermore, Pannun was identified as the “main handler and controller” of the SFJ, which was declared an ‘Unlawful Association’ by the Government of India in July 2019. Pannun, designated as a ‘designated individual terrorist’ in July 2020, had been actively encouraging Punjab-based gangsters and youth via social media to support the cause of an independent Khalistan, posing a challenge to India’s sovereignty, integrity, and security, according to NIA findings.
Recent attacks on Indian missions in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries have brought attention to these terrorists with OCI cards residing abroad.
