NIA takes over probe into attacks on missions in US, Canada

Multiple incidents of protests by supporters of Khalistan have been staged outside the Indian Embassy and the San Francisco Consulate…reports Asian Lite News

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will investigate the Khalistani elements’ attacks on Indian High Commission in Canada and the US, as per Delhi Police sources.

FIRs were registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by Delhi Police Special Cell regarding the March 2023 attack in Canada and San Francisco (US). The case has now been transferred to the NIA, the Delhi Police sources revealed. Pro-Khalistan supporters in the US recently threatened the Indian embassy and Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu during their protest.

While rallying outside the mission, a protestor in his speech made a direct threat to the Ambassador that the “hypocrisy” will come to an end and that the Ambassador could face a similar fate to what former president of India Zail Singh faced back in 1994.

In response, the US said: “Violence or the threat of violence against diplomatic facilities and personnel in the United States is a grave concern and will not be tolerated.”

Multiple incidents of protests by supporters of Khalistan have been staged outside the Indian Embassy and the San Francisco Consulate.

The Indian Consulate in San Francisco was also attacked on March 20.

Recently, a video surfaced on social media in which pro-Khalistani protestors gathered at the consulate in San Francisco, shouting slogans in support of pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh and heckling staff as they abandoned the diplomatic mission.

The US said it condemns recent violent incidents that have taken place during protests at Indian diplomatic facilities in the country.

Khalistan supporters in March, protested outside the Indian Embassy in Canada. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans and allegedly assaulted Indian-origin journalists present on the spot.

NIA identifies people involved in attack on Indian High Commission in UK

Last week, NIA announced that it is seeking the identification of individuals involved in the recent attack on the Indian High Commission in the UK.

The NIA has issued a lookout notice and released pictures of 45 people who were responsible for vandalizing the High Commission and showing disrespect to the Indian National Flag in London back in March. In a tweet on Wednesday, the official Twitter handle of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) wrote, “REQUEST FOR IDENTIFICATION/INFORMATION On 19.03.23 these persons were involved in an attack on the High Commission of India, London. They caused grievous injury and disrespected the Indian National Flag If anyone has any information about them, please Whatsapp/DM @+917290009373.”

Earlier on June 12, NIA has released over 2 hours of CCTV footage of the attempted vandalisation of the Indian High Commission in London, United Kingdom by anti-national elements.

NIA has appealed to the public to provide information regarding the people seen in the CCTV footage to the agency in the public interest.

NIA files chargesheet against 13

Meanwhile, NIA filed a chargesheet against 13 persons, including Lankans, in the India-Sri Lanka illegal drugs and arms trade case which was linked to attempts to revive the LTTE in India and its southern neighbour, NIA informed though an official release.

The accused men had conspired with the accused in the Vizhinjam Arms case, for exploiting the illegal drugs trade in India and Sri Lanka for funding, amassing and stashing weapons for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka, the NIA said, adding that the drugs were being sourced from one Haji Salim, who is suspected to be residing in Pakistan. The accused persons had been using various foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine trade, as per the official release.

Investigations in the case had exposed their conspiracy to fund the revival of LTTE through drug trade. They were arrested at the Trichy Special Camp.

NIA said their investigations revealed further that the accused were using the proceeds of crime to lead a lavish life. Several mobile phones with pre-activated Indian SIM cards were seized from them, the central agency informed, adding that it also seized various digital devices, documents relating to drug transactions, cash to the tune of Rs 80 lakh and 9 gold bars during the course of its investigations.

This cash and gold were the proceeds from the sale of narcotics and were being channeled through hawala networks between Chennai and Sri Lanka, the NIA stated, adding that several transactions using Crypto platforms also came to the fore during the probe.

Earlier, on July 8, the NIA had filed the case suo motu, nabbing 13 persons. The accused were charge-sheeted on Friday under various sections of the IPC, UA(P) Act 1967, and NDPS Act. They included three Indians, identified as Selvakumar. M, Vigneshwara Perumal alias Vicky and lyyapan Nandhu alias Ayyappan Nandhu.

The remaining 10 are Sri Lankans identified as C Gunasekaran alias Guna, Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna, Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseka, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Dhanukka Roshan, Ladiya alias Nalin Chathuranga, Vella Suranga alias Gamage Suranga Pradeep, Thilipan alias Dileepan and Danarathnam Nilukshan.

While Vicky and Nandhu were arrested in April this year, the others were arrested in December 2022, the release added. (ANI)

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