The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday declared Canada-based gangster Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar a designated terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Brar had in 2022 claimed responsibility for the murder of singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead in the Jahawarke village of Mansa district in Punjab. Soon after, Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice for the gangster, accusing him of murder, attempt to murder, supply of illegal firearms and criminal conspiracy.
A Red Corner Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies around the world to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending further legal action.
In a gazette notification, the Central government said that Brar is associated with the pro-Khalistan group Babbar Khalsa, which is listed as a terrorist organisation in India.
It also alleged that Brar is backed by cross-border agencies, involved in multiple killings and “professes radical ideology”. The notification said that Brar made threatening calls to “pro-nationalist leaders”, demanded ransom and posted the claims of killings on social media platforms.
“... [He] has been involved in smuggling of high-grade arms, ammunitions and explosive materials through drones from across the border and supplying thereon for carrying out killings and also providing sharp shooters,” the notification added.
According to the Centre, Brar and his associates have been conspiring to disrupt peace, communal harmony and law and order in Punjab “through nefarious designs including sabotage, the raising of terror modules, carrying out targeted killings, and other anti-national activities”.
Taking this and the Red Corner Notice into account, Brar was added to the Fourth Schedule of the anti-terror law, the Centre said.
The Punjab Police had earlier claimed that Brar was a member of a gang led by a man named Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in Delhi’s Tihar Jail but had denied involvement in Moose Wala’s murder.
A native of Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab, Brar is said to be living in Canada’s Brampton presently.
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