NIA arrests arms trafficker in Moga extortion case

New Delhi, July 6 The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Tuesday that it has arrested one Gagandeep Singh, an alleged arms trafficker, in a case related to extortion by Khalistani terrorists at Moga in Punjab.

An NIA spokesperson said that the anti-terror probe agency has arrested Singh, a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.

The case was originally registered on May 22 this year at Moga based on the information received by the Punjab Police that Arshdeep Singh aka Arsh, Charanjit Singh aka Rinku and Ramandeep Singh aka Jajj, all currently abroad, had formed a gang and were threatening and extorting money from people.

The NIA had registered a case in the matter on June 10 this year.

The official said that the probe revealed that absconding accused Arshdeep Singh was a close associate of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist and chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force.

The official furthet said that Gagandeep Singh was a close associate of Arshdeep Singh.

"Gagandeep Singh was involved in smuggling of weapons. On the directions of Arshdeep Singh, he had supplied weapons, including 9 mm pistols or country made pistols, to the other arrested accused persons which were further used for killing people and extorting money from businessmen of Punjab," the official said.

Gagandeep Singh was produced before a NIA Court in Mohali which sent him to eight-day agency custody.