Mumbai: In a major breakthrough in the Punjab terror conspiracy case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Jatinder Singh, alias Jyoti, from Mankhurd, Mumbai, on Monday. Singh is a key associate of designated Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, and his trusted lieutenant, notorious gangster Bachitar Singh, alias Pavitar Batala.

The operation, executed by the NIA’s Chandigarh team, with assistance from their Maharashtra counterparts. It was based on intelligence obtained through technical surveillance and ground-level investigations. Singh, a native of Gurdaspur, Punjab, had been on the run since July 2024 following the arrest of weapons supplier Baljit Singh, alias Rana Bhai.

Jatinder Singh, an arms supplier for a terror organization, was apprehended from a rented residence in Maharashtra Nagar, Mankhurd on Monday evening. The NIA team completed the arrest within 15 to 20 minutes, conducting a search operation at his residence and gathering evidence before departing the premises.

Sources revealed that Singh had been living at the Mankhurd location for the past three to four months, working as a crane operator at a construction site in Trombay. To avoid local scrutiny, he kept a low profile, rarely interacting with neighbors and often leaving early in the morning and conducting reconnaissance before returning home.

According to the sources, Singh had been periodically receiving cash payments from close associates of the Khalistan Tiger Force(KTF) and maintaining regular contact with Khalistani sympathizers and associates.

According to NIA sources, in the last few days leading up to his arrest, Singh’s behavior had become increasingly erratic. His movements raised concerns among NIA officials, who suspected he was planning to flee. The agency believed that Singh had been advised to avoid staying in one place for extended periods and was frequently changing his residence. This heightened suspicion ultimately led to his capture.

The NIA has identified Singh as a key member of the terror-gangster network led by Lakhbir Singh Landa, a foreign-based operative of the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and his trusted lieutenant, Bachitar Batala.

Following his arrest, Jatinder Singh was transferred from Mumbai to Chandigarh, where he will face further legal proceedings in the local court.

According to NIA officials, Singh played a key role in supplying weapons to operatives in Punjab, allegedly procuring firearms from Madhya Pradesh-based supplier Baljit Singh and supplying them to operatives linked to Landa and Batala in Punjab. The NIA apprehended the Madhya Pradesh (MP)-based supplier, Baljit Singh, alias Rana Bhai, in July 2024, and he was recently named in the charge sheet for the same case.

The NIA’s investigation revealed that Singh transported ten pistols from Madhya Pradesh to Punjab, delivering them to Landa and Batala’s network. He had also planned to smuggle additional weapons into Punjab but was thwarted by the NIA's persistent efforts.

An official stated that Jatinder’s arrest marks a significant step in the NIA’s efforts to dismantle the terror-gangster nexus. This operation aims to disrupt the smuggling of arms, ammunition, and explosives, as well as prevent the raising of funds for terrorist activities on Indian soil.