New Delhi [India], May 2 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday searched multiple premises linked with gangster Happy Passian who is connected with Khalistani terrorist Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, at various locations across Punjab in a case of Babbar Khalsa International operatives' conspiracy.

The NIA scanned 17 locations in the districts of Gurdaspur, Batala, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, and Faridkot, seizing several incriminating materials, including mobile phones, digital devices, and documents.

The searches were conducted in the case RC-21/2023/NIA/DLI at the premises of suspects linked to Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passian and his nodes based in various countries. Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passian is currently in USA, and is a key operative of Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Rinda.
Happy is believed to the mastermind behind the series of recent grenade attacks at various police stations and police posts in the states of Punjab and Haryana.

Rinda's network of operatives, spread across various countries, has been actively involved in recruiting India-based associates for carrying out terrorist activities, as per NIA investigations.
Besides recruitment of terror associates, Happy has also been engaged in a criminal conspiracy to provide funds, weapons and explosives to the field operatives of BKI through their associates and acquaintances based abroad, including in Pakistan. Happy has already been declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in the case.

NIA, which had registered the case suo moto against BKI operatives on the directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, has so far arrested five accused and chargesheeted three under UA(P) Act.

The anti-terror agency has also arraigned 12 others as accused in the case. The accused in the case include Rinda and another designated individual terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, as well as Happy Passian. All three, along with 6 others, are absconders in the case, in which a total of seven absconders have been declared as POs.

NIA is continuing with its investigations in the case and is actively examining the incriminating materials seized during Thursday's searches.