Babbar Khalsa terrorist, wanted in Punjab, extradited from Abu Dhabi

Chandigarh, Sep 27 (IANS) In a landmark operation, Punjab Police on Saturday extradited Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Parminder Singh, Pindi, from Abu Dhabi in the UAE to India with the close coordination and support of Central agencies, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

He said Pindi is a close aide of foreign-based terrorists Harwinder Singh, alias Rinda, and Happy Passia and is involved in multiple heinous crimes, including petrol bomb attacks, violent assaults and extortions in the Batala-Gurdaspur region.

Acting swiftly on a Red Corner Notice (RCN) requested by Batala Police, a dedicated four-member team led by a senior police officer travelled to the UAE on September 24, coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs and the UAE authorities, completed all legal formalities and has successfully brought the accused back to face justice, said the DGP.

"This successful extradition underscores Punjab Police's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and organised crime as well as its advanced investigative capabilities and global reach," he said.

"We are thankful to the Central agencies, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Government of the United Arab Emirates for their invaluable cooperation in this joint effort to uphold justice and strengthen national security," DGP Yadav added.

Earlier, the wanted gangster, Passia, who reportedly plotted 16 terrorist attacks in Punjab, was arrested in April and sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in the US.

India's premier anti-terror body, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), also wanted him. The NIA had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh on Passia over his alleged involvement in grenade attacks on a house in Chandigarh and police stations in Punjab.

Passia, a close associate of Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, has been involved in several terrorist activities in Punjab in collaboration with Pakistan's ISI, Rinda, and the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International. He was arrested by teams of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the ICE.

--IANS

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