NIA files chargesheet against 22nd accused Rahul Sarkar in Lawrence Bishnoi gang-BKI terror nexus case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Monday, October 6, that it chargesheeted one more accused in the 2022 Lawrence Bishnoi gang and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)terror-gangster nexus case.

In its fifth chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court, Patiala House, Delhi, the NIA charged Rahul Sarkar with facilitating members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in committing terror activities in India.

Rahul Sarkar is the 22nd accused to be chargesheeted so far in the case. Of these, 18 accused, including Rahul, have been arrested, while four are absconding.

The case was originally registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell on August 4, 2022. The NIA, which took over the investigation on August 26 the same year, is probing the terror-gangster nexus in the case.

What's the case?

The NIA said in a statement on Monday that the case RC-39/2022/NIA/DLI relates to a terror conspiracy hatched by the Lawrence Bishnoi terror gang in association with the proscribed BKI terror organisation to “spread terrorism in India.”

The NIA said Rahul Sarkar was involved in preparing and arranging forged identity documents, such as Aadhar Card, Voter ID and Bank Passbook etc, for members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, besides assisting them in fleeing the country.

NIA investigations revealed that the accused allegedly used the fake documents to aid the gang members, including co-accused Sachin Bishnoi, in fraudulently procuring passports to escape the country and carry on with their terror activities.

Lawrence Bishnoi and Khalistani outfits’ nexus

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, known for its extensive criminal operations, including extortion, murder, and arms smuggling, has been “linked to the BKI through a terror-crime syndicate.”.

The nexus involves coordinating activities such as smuggling arms, ammunition and explosives across borders, particularly from Pakistan into Punjab, to support terrorist activities, the Indian Express reported early by cited police.

Earlier this month, Canada designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity for "violently targeting" certain communities and creating a "climate of fear and intimidation".

"Acts of violence and terror have no place in Canada, especially those that target specific communities to create a climate of fear and intimidation," the Canadian government said in a statement.

The listing of the Bishnoi gang came over a week after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin held talks in New Delhi.

MEA reacts to Canada's listing of Bishnoi gang

When asked about Canada's listing of the gang, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, at his weekly media briefing, referred to the productive talks held between Doval and Drouin on September 18.

"Both sides had held productive discussions on advancing the bilateral relationship in areas such as counter terrorism, combating transnational organised crime and intelligence exchanges," he said.

"They agreed to strengthen security cooperation and further reinforce existing mechanisms of engagement. The two sides remain in touch on all these issues," he added.