MHA designates Canada-based Goldy Brar as terrorist, cites association with Pak-basked BKI

Brar is also known to be a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and had claimed responsibility for the murder of popular singer Moosewala in Punjab

Canada-based gangster Satinderjit Singh alias Goldy Brar, who was the alleged mastermind of the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, was designated a terrorist by the government under the anti-terror law UAPA on January 1.

In a notification, the Union Home Ministry said Brar, backed by a Pakistan-based agency, has been involved in multiple killings and professes radical ideology. He figured in making threatening calls to pro-nationalist leaders, demanding ransom and posting the claims of killings on different social media platforms.

An activist of the banned Babbar Khalsa International, Brar has been involved in the smuggling of high-grade arms, ammunition and explosive materials through drones from across the border and supplying them for carrying out killings and also providing sharpshooters. He hails from Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab and is presently residing in Brampton, Canada

The Union home ministry said Brar and his associates have been conspiring to disrupt the peace, communal harmony and law and order in Punjab through nefarious designs including sabotage, the raising of terror modules, carrying out targeted killings and other anti-national activities A Red Corner Notice has been issued against him by Interpol and there is a non-bailable warrant against him.

The Union government believes that Satwinder Singh alias Satinderjit Singh alias Goldy Brar is involved in terrorism and he is to be added as a terrorist in the Fourth Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Home Ministry said.

"Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the central government hereby makes the following amendment in the Fourth Schedule to the said Act, namely:- "Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the central government hereby makes the following amendment in the Fourth Schedule to the said Act, namely:-

"In the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in the Fourth Schedule, after serial number 55 and entries relating thereto, the following serial number and entries shall be inserted, namely:- '56. Satwinder Singh alias Satinderjit Singh alias Goldy Brar'," the notification from the ministry said.

Brar is also known to be a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and had claimed responsibility for the murder of popular singer Moosewala in Punjab on May 29, 2022.

Moosewala killing

Popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala was on May 29 shot dead by unidentified assailants in Mansa district of Punjab. Three people were injured in the firing incident. The incident happened just a day after Punjab Police withdrew the security of 424 people, including Moosewala.

Moosewala's body had 19 bullet injuries, according to the post-mortem report, and he died within 15 minutes after being shot. Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar had claimed responsibility for the murder.

Babbar Khalsa International connections

Babbar Khalsa International, also known as Babbar Khalsa, is a Sikh militant organisation that aims to create an independent Sikh nation of Khalistan in the state of Punjab.

According to the MHA, Babbar Khalsa International is listed as a terrorist organisation as per "number I of the First Schedule to the said Act."

On December 31, 2023, the government declared Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, a Canada-based activist of the banned Babbar Khalsa International, an ‘individual terrorist’ under the anti-terror law.

According to an official notification, Singh was involved in the May 2022 Rocket Propelled Grenade attack on the Punjab Police's intelligence branch headquarters, besides supplying IEDs, arms, sophisticated weapons and explosives from across the border.

He was also "involved in the supply of improvised explosive devices, arms, sophisticated weapons, and explosives from across the border to various modules for carrying out terrorist activities in the state of Punjab, India", according to the MHA release.

Landa was also involved in various criminal cases related to the raising of terror modules, extortion, and killings. planting IEDs, smuggling weapons and narcotics and using funds or proceeds thereof for terrorist acts in the Punjab and other parts of the country, it added.

(With agency inputs)