NIA special court orders land confiscation of Lakhbir Singh alias ‘Rode’

Mohali (Punjab) [India], October 11 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court has ordered the confiscation of land belonging to ‘Designated Individual Terrorist (DIT)’ and Pak-based self-styled Chief of banned terror outfits (ISYF and KLF) Lakhbir Singh under Section 33 (5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The Court order stems from a case dated October 1, 2021, which pertains to multiple charges, including Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act 1908, Sections 16, 17, 18, 18B, 20, 38 & 39 of UA(P) Act. 1967, Section 21B, 27A, 29 of NDPS Act 1985, and Section 120B of IPC.

The aforementioned land, previously owned by Lakhbir Singh alias ‘Rode’ is situated in the village- Kothe Gurupura (Rode), District Moga, Punjab.

Originally registered as FIR no. 205 dated September 9, 2021, under Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act at Police Station City Jalalabad, this case involves a Tiffin bomb blast that occurred on September 25, 2021, around 07:57 pm, near Punjab National Bank, Jalalabad town, Fazilka district, Punjab.

The investigations revealed that Lakhbir Singh alias Rode, Pak-based self-styled Chief of proscribed terrorist organizations, ISYF and KLF, masterminded the whole conspiracy.

“Working in collusion with his Pakistan-based ‘masters’, Lakhbir Singh alias Rode played a key role in sending consignments of terrorist hardware, including arms, ammunition, custom-made Tiffin bombs, grenades, explosives as well as drugs, to carry out terrorist acts, particularly bomb blasts, to instil fear and terror among the people of Punjab,” NIA said.

Lakhbir Singh @ Rode, a ‘listed individual terrorist’, under the UAPA fled to Pakistan around 1996/97. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating six cases against Rode for his active involvement in terror-related activities between 2021-2023.

“He stands accused of engaging in a wide array of terror activities. His criminal dossier includes armed attacks on law enforcement personnel, orchestrating IED and bomb blasts, targeted killings of members of the minority community, extortion, fundraising for terrorist operations, and instilling terror among the general populace,” NIA added.

To date, a total of nine (09) accused individuals, among them Lakhbir Singh alias Rode, have been formally charged in this case and the investigation in this case remains open.