Khalistanis, Canada-Based Gangsters Invested In Movies And Top Football League, Finds NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has found that money raised in India by Canada-based pro-Khalistan elements and organised crime ring leaders is also used to invest in movies, yachts, and even in the Canadian Premier League besides being used to fund their criminal activities. It has also emerged that gangsters at the focus of the case have extensive links with several singers, Kabaddi players, and advocates, the probe agency said. The NIA is carrying out a wide-ranging investigation into the nexus between India- and foreign-based gangsters, terrorists, and drug dealers.

"The case has also brought to light links of the gangsters with the Music industry, Singers, Kabaddi players and Advocates etc, on the lines of the pre-1993 Mumbai blasts era when extensive linkages of the underworld with the business people and the film industry had surfaced," a press release issued by NIA in March read.

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According to the charge sheet filed in the case, Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is one of the most notable subjects of the ongoing NIA investigation, transferred sums of money ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 60 lakh to Canada and Thailand via hawala operators as many as 13 times from 2019-2021, Hindustan Times reported.

(Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi leaves after appearing before a Delhi court in April 2023. Pic sourced from ANI)

The money "collected through extortion, illegal liquor, arms smuggling business, etc was sent to Satwinderjeet Singh alias 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 (PKEs)", NIA said in its charge sheet filed in March, Hindustan Times wrote.

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Satwinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar - who took responsibility for the killing of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu alias Sidhu Moosewala - is Bishnoi's deputy who lives in Canada. It has emerged during the course of the NIA probe that Brar was closely involved with Khalistani terror outfits based out of Canada, particularly Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leader Lakhbir Singh Landa.

One Satbir Singh alias Sam has been identified by the NIA as the point person for managing the ill-gotten wealth sent by Bishnoi to Canada. "Sam invested a part of this money to purchase yachts, finance movies, and organise the Canadian Premier League in Canada," the NIA charge sheet added.