Amidst the ongoing drive against terrorism, State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) Amritsar has busted a terrorist recruitment, funding and aiding module with the arrest of Germany-based operative Prabhpreet Singh Sidhu from IGI Airport in Delhi, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.
In 2020, a secret information was received at SSOC Amritsar that KZF terrorist Jagdish Singh Bhura is planning to hit some high-profile targets in Punjab and to accomplish this task, he has provided weapons and financial support to his India based associates. Punjab Police took swift action and busted the module by arresting four operatives of this organization and recovered arms and ammunition from their possession. In this regard, a case FIR No. 18, dated 19.12.2020 was registered under sections 13, 17, 18, 18-B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that during investigations, the arrested accused persons had disclosed that they were working on the directions of wanted terrorist Jagdish Singh Bhura and his close-aide Prabhpreet Singh. The arrested persons had also revealed that they were planning to hit high profile targets, he added.
He said that since Prabhpreet was living in Germany, Punjab Police after nominating him in this case, got issued Look Out Circular (LOC) against him through the Bureau of Immigration, New Delhi to ensure his arrest.
“On Wednesday, immigration authorities at IGI Airport Delhi informed us about the detention of Prabhpreet Singh. Subsequently, a team of SSOC Amritsar rushed to Delhi and arrested the accused,” said the DGP. Sharing more details, AIG SSOC Amritsar Sukhminder Singh Mann said that preliminary investigations have revealed that accused Prabhpreet went to Poland on a valid visa in 2017, and crossed to Germany by road in 2020.
To attain permanent residence in Germany, he applied for political asylum, he added.
While living in Germany, the accused came in touch with Belgium-based KZF terrorist Jagdish Singh Bhura and got involved in anti-national activities, said the AIG, while adding that the accused arranged funding and weapons to his Indian associate to carry out targeted killings and other disruptive activities.
He said that further investigations are being conducted to unearth the whole network of Prabhpreet and the module he is working for.
Meanwhile, Police teams have procured remand of accused Prabhpreet till April 15, 2024 after producing him in the court.