New Delhi: Pro-Khalistani banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) is trying to settle its important members and executors abroad in the countries of their wish, with the help of Pro-Khalistan Elements (PKEs) who are well settled in various countries across the world.
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) charge-sheet filed in March this year reveals that the BKI's move has created a symbiotic terrorist-gangster network, between gangster and Pro-Khalistan elements which fulfil their requirement of the shooters to carry out targeted killings.
In return the gangsters get access to sophisticated weapons from across the border.
In the charge-sheet, the NIA said it was the BKI that targeted and attacked important security installations which was manifested in the form of RPG terror attacks on intelligence headquarters of Punjab Police in Mohali, RPG attack on Sarhali Police Station in Tarn Taran and an IED blast on Crime Investigating Agency (CIA), Ropar.
"All the executioners-accused are from outside states including Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Only harbourers and logistic supporters are from state. They are directly supervised by their gang handlers from abroad who further work on directions of BKI," the charge-sheet mentions.
As per the NIA, the BKI militants have their presence outside of India in Pakistan, North America, Europe and Scandinavia.
"The BKI at present is active in the US, Canada, the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland and Pakistan. The terror group continues its operations from Pakistan with the support of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). It has been officially banned and designated as an international terrorist organisation by several countries India, Canada, European Union, Japan, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the USA."
Currently, the agency said, Wadhwa Singh Babbar, who is hiding in Pakistan, heads the outfit. "Mehal Singh is the deputy chief of BKI. Both, Mehal Singh and Wadhwa Singh are amongst the 20 terrorists whom India wants Pakistan to extradite" the chargesheet says.
"Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, a gangster tured terrorist has been involved in murders, attempt to murder, contract killing, robberies and extortions and is presently based in Pakistan, has been actively operating for BKI since 2020" the chargesheet adds.
Wadhwa Singh Babbar has personally supervised the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on August 31, 1995, the agency said.
"Wadhwa Singh is also believed to have masterminded the January 2004 escape of the assassinationaccused, Jagtar Singh Hawara, from the Burail jail in Chandigarh."
The BKI has also established relations with Dawood Ibrahim, who heads the D Company, a terror gangster syndicate based and operating in Mumbai and surrounding areas, points the charge-sheet.
The NIA filed the charge-sheet in a special court in Delhi on March 24 this year in a case being probed by the agency after registration of a First Information Report (FIR) on August 26, 2022. Earlier, the Special Cell of Delhi Police had registered a case in this matter on August 4, 2022.
A total of 16 gangsters were named in the charge-sheet which further revealed that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate formed alliance with the Pro-Khalistan cause, to satisfy its quest for sophisticated weapons and to further invest the proceeds of terrorism generated through their existing extortion rackets.
"The requirement of sophisticated weapons that includes assault weapons, hand grenades, IEDs, explosives etc. could not be met within the country. Therefore, they aligned themselves with Harwinder Singh alias Rinda through his old association with Lawrence Bishnoi which was further strengthened by close association of Lakhbir Singh alias Landa with Goldy Brar," it reads.
Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Harwinder Singh alias Rinda are presently the most important associates of Wadhawa Singh Babbar lead BKI.
Even after the terrorist-secessionist movement for Khalistan was comprehensively defeated in 1995, there remain a handful of terrorist outfits chiefly supported by Pakistan and some non-resident Indian Sikh radical groups who continue to propagate the ideology of Khalistan. One of the most prominent among them is the Babbar Khalsa International. It is among the oldest and most organised Khalistan terrorist groups.
The BKI traces its origin to the Babbar Akali Movement of 1920 and is believed to have assumed its present form after the Baisakhi 1978-clashes between the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and Nirankaris and more particularly when some followers of Bibi Amarjit Kaur brought out some leaflets styling themselves as Babbar Khalsa after the killing of Nirankari chief Gurbachan Singh, on April 24, 1980. Subsequently, the outfit started targeting all those who sympathised with the Nirankaris.
Sukhdev Singh Babbar and Talwinder Singh Parmar were the founding members of this organisation. The first unit of the BKI was founded in Canada in 1981 under the leadership of late Talwinder Singh Parmar.
—ANI