New Delhi [India], January 4 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charges against the two main shooters in the 2024 Neemrana hotel firing case linked with Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dala. The arrested accused, Puneet and Narinder Lalli, have been chargesheeted for various offences under the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The Punjab-based shooters had carried out the actual firing, and were also involved in threatening and demanding extortion from the owners of Highway King Hotel, Neemrana (Haryana).

With this, a total of nine accused have so far been charge-sheeted in case RC 01/2024/NIA/JPR, where the investigation is ongoing. The attack at the hotel was carried out in September 2024 by the terrorist-gangster syndicate of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) led by designated individual terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala and the Bambiah gang. Gang members Dinesh Gandhi and Saurabh Kataria were responsible for the planning of the attack, which was executed by Puneet and Narinder, who had the protection of Dala and Gandhi. NIA, during investigation, uncovered the role of Puneet and Narinder, who had used prohibited weapons in the attack and had also issued a threat on behalf of the syndicate. It was further found that the duo had been receiving funds, shelter, and weapons from the syndicate on a sustained basis to promote KTF's objectives.

Earlier, NIA chargesheeted three more accused in the 2023 Bengaluru prison radicalisation case linked with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba terror organisation.In a second supplementary chargesheet, filed before a special court, the NIA named Anees Fathima, Chan Pasha A and Dr Nagaraj S under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Karnataka Prisons Act.

The NIA, which took over the case from the local police in October 2023, had earlier chargesheeted nine accused, including absconder Junaid Ahmed. The case, originally registered by the Bengaluru City police in July 2023, related to the recovery of arms, ammunition and digital devices from habitual offenders who had planned to unleash terror in the city with the intent of disrupting India's sovereignty and security. NIA said the activities, aimed at promoting the LeT's interests, were part of a larger conspiracy to facilitate the escape of T Naseer, a life convict in several terror cases, en route from the prison to the court. Naseer was an under-trial prisoner in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blast cases at the time. (ANI)