Movies, yachts and more: The many investments by Khalistanis in Canada

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations against India have put a spotlight on the pro-Khalistani leaders and outfits operating from the North American nation. Last week, Trudeau hinted at a “potential link” between “Indian government agents” and the murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June, triggering an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between the two nations. Now, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed the details of financial activities by gangsters and Khalistani leaders based in Canada. This comes amid the central probe agency’s recent crackdown against pro-Khalistani elements and criminals. Let’s take a closer look at the development. Investment by Khalistani leaders and gangsters The NIA probe has shed light on the nexus between gangsters and pro-Khalistani elements. According to the agency’s chargesheet filed at the Patiala House Court in March, there were 13 instances between 2019 and 2021 when gangster Lawrence Bishnoi sent amounts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 60 lakh from India to Canada and Thailand using the “hawala route”, reported India Today. Bishnoi, who is currently imprisoned in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, is a key accused in the murder of famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala last May. As per Hindustan Times (HT), Bishnoi – with the aid of his deputy Satwinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar – worked “closely” with Khalistani outfits and leaders in Canada, especially Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)’s Lakhbir Singh ‘Landa’. “The money collected through extortion, illegal liquor, arms smuggling business, 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),” India Today reported citing the NIA chargesheet. As per the NIA, Sam, who was the main player in managing the alleged ill-gotten funds in Canada, invested some of the money in buying “yachts, finance movies and organising the Canadian Premier League” in the North American nation, the chargesheet claimed. Bishnoi also admitted to getting funds from Sam on several occasions, HT reported. [caption id=“attachment_13166592” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi is a key accused in the murder of famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. PTI File Photo[/caption] Goldy Brar, is a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and another prime accused in the murder of Moose Wala. He is also among the 25 most wanted fugitives in Canada. NIA has earlier alleged Brar’s “direct links” with Landa, who is reportedly in Canada. Landa, an operative of the Sikh militant organisation Babbar Khalsa International, is a key accused in the Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack at the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali last year. List of financial transactions As per HT the report, the transactions underlined by the NIA in its chargesheet include Rs 2 lakh sent monthly to Goldy Brar in 2021; two separate payments to Brar of Rs 20 lakh each in 2020, a Rs 50 lakh payment to Sam in 2020; Rs 60 lakh provided to both Brar and Sam in 2021; and two other payments of Rs 40 lakh and Rs 20 lakh to Sam in 2021. Thailand connection As per the NIA, the gangsters also made investments in bars and clubs in Thailand from India. “The money collected by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang through extortion, illegal liquor, arms smuggling business, etc was sent to one Manish Bhandari in Thailand through hawala by (gangster) Virendra Pratap alias Kala Rana, his father Joginder Singh and Rajkumar alias Raju Basodi for further investing in nightclubs and bars,” the chargesheet read, as per India Today. The central agency alleged that Bhandari helped with accommodation and logistics support to members of the Bishnoi gang whenever they travelled to Thailand. PKEs and gangsters in India On how Bishnoi’s gang came into the orbit of Khalistani elements, the NIA said that Pakistan-based BKI leaders Wadhawa Singh and Harwinder Singh Rinda were looking for experienced shooters in India, as per HT. “This is where (the) Lawrence Bishnoi gang fitted into the scheme of things. His syndicate is spread across states (and Union territories) that include Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand,” the chargesheet said, as per the newspaper. The 14 individuals named by the NIA in the chargesteet who are part of the Khalistan-gangster nexus are Bishnoi, Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Sandeep alias Kala Jatheri, Virender Pratap, Joginder Singh, Rajesh Kumar alias Raju Mota, Raj Kumar alias Raju Basodi, Anil Chippi, Naresh Yadav alias Naresh Sethi alias Seth, Mohammad Shahbaz Ansari alias Shahbaz Ansari alias Shehzad, Goldy Brar, Sachin Thapan alias Sachin Thapan Bishnoi, Anmol Bishnoi alias Bhanu and Vikramjit Singh alias Vikram Brar, and other associates, reported India Today. ALSO READ: Seizing properties, revoking OCI status: India’s big crackdown on Khalistanis NIA’s crackdown The NIA has prepared a list of 19 fugitive Khalistani terrorists living in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Dubai, Pakistan and other countries, whose properties are likely to be confiscated, NDTV reported on Sunday (24 September). A day back, the NIA confiscated the properties of US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Punjab’s Amritsar and Chandigarh. On the NIA’s radar since 2019, Pannun was designated an “individual terrorist” by India in 2020.

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On 20 September, the NIA released a list of 43 most-wanted criminals, including those linked to the pro-Khalistan movement and residing in Canada. As per The Tribune, among those featured in this list, Brar, Arshdeep Singh Gill and Landa are known for supporting Khalistani extremists. With inputs from agencies