Source : Hindustan Times
New Delhi: The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Monday designated Satwinder Singh, alias Goldy Brar, deputy to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who allegedly indulges in anti-India activities with Khalistani extremist outfits in Canada, a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Designating a person as a terrorist allows the police to attach their properties and conduct trials against them in absentia. It also helps build a case for their extradition.
MHA designates gangster Goldy Brar as terrorist, says he’s associated with BKI
Brar, who has an Interpol red notice issued against him, is believed to be based in Canadian city of Brampton, and allegedly supervises the activities of Bishnoi gang, besides assisting pro-Khalistan outfits such as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in smuggling of weapons, drugs, targeting killings and recruitment of youngsters.
He had also claimed responsibility for the hit on Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala on May 29, 2022 on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Brar, who hails from Muktsar Sahib in Punjab, is also on Canada’s 25 most-wanted persons list. Last year, he was reported to have moved to the US even as Indian agencies were tracking Punjab gangsters based in Canada.
The MHA notification on Monday said Goldy Brar was associated with the Babbar Khalsa International or BKI. “Brar backed by cross border agency was involved in multiple killings and professes radical ideology, figured in making threatening calls to pro-nationalist leaders, demanding ransom and posting the claims of killings on different social media platforms. He has been involved in smuggling of high-grade arms, ammunitions and explosive materials through drones from across the border and supplying thereon for carrying out killings and also providing sharpshooters”, the ministry said.
The ministry added that Brar and his associates have been conspiring to disrupt the peace, communal harmony and law and order in Punjab through nefarious designs including sabotage, terror modules, carrying out targeted killings, and other anti-national activities.
According to Indian officials, Goldy Brar moved to Canada on a student visa in 2017. In Canada, he has been working closely with BKI terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa and other Pro-Khalistan Entitites and providing them with logistics support. Landa was designated as a terrorist by MHA last week.
As reported by HT on September 24, NIA has said that it has established that Brar was also managing the Bishnoi gang’s money in Canada. The funds generated from the gang’s activities such as “extortion, illegal liquor, arms smuggling business, etc were sent to Goldy Brar and one Satbir Singh alias Sam in Canada through hawala for further investment as well as for funding the radical activities of pro-Khalistan elements…,” said the charge sheet filed in March, 2022 against 14 people, who are part of a larger Khalistan-gangster nexus.
The money was also invested in yachts, financing movies, and organising [the] Canadian Premier League in Canada.
Indian agencies are in touch with Canadian authorities over the extradition or deportation of Brar and another important gangster-turned-Khalistani – Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) too is investigating Bishnoi and Brar’s funding activities in India, Canada, Thailand and Malaysia.
