NIA attaches Amritsar house in LeT narco-terror probe
In a decisive step to choke the financial lifelines of terrorism, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday attached a house in Amritsar’s upscale Holy City enclave, identifying it as proceeds of a sprawling transnational narco-terror conspiracy linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiyyba (LeT).
The house, located at number 33 in Holy City, Holy Enclave Phase-I, Amritsar, is registered under the name of the accused’s father, Ankush Kapoor (also known as Ankush Vipan Kapoor), who the agency says is a key member of the network in India.
The Salaya narco-terror case started in 2018, when Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) registered FIR No. 01/2018 at PS ATS, Ahmedabad, on August 12.
This happened after they intercepted a large shipment of drugs smuggled from Pakistan by sea to the Gujarat coast near Salaya. The NIA later found that about 500 kg of heroin entered India this way and was then moved to different states, mainly Punjab, for storage and sale. The profits were sent through hawala and other money laundering methods to support LeT operations in India.
The ISI-sponsored terror network operated in several countries, such as Italy, Australia, the UAE, Pakistan, Iran, and Thailand. Investigations have found that it had important connections to LeT-linked handlers in Dubai. The NIA identified three main leaders: Simranjit Singh Sandhu (based in Italy), Tanveer Bedi (also known as Tanveer Singh Bedi, based in Australia), and Ankush Kapoor (based in India, managing operations in Punjab).
It was revealed that Ankush Kapoor coordinated the Indian side of the operation. NIA says he managed logistics, transport, storage, and local drug distribution in Punjab. He also helped transfer money to other accused individuals. Kapoor’s name first came up in January 2020 during Punjab police operations. He was arrested on January 29, 2020, in connection with FIR No. 20/2020 (Mohali) and FIR No. 23/2020 (Amritsar) under the NDPS Act and Arms Act. During the search of his premises, the police found heroin, processing chemicals, and other evidence.
The NIA later took over the investigation and linked the Punjab cases to the larger Gujarat-based conspiracy. Kapoor has faced long legal proceedings and several bail requests. The agency has opposed his release, saying he played a key role in funding terror. Court records show the NIA asked for his bail to be cancelled and pointed to his alleged role in cross-border drug rings and hawala deals. The investigation has continued with several more charge sheets.
The probe agency filed the eighth supplementary charge sheet before the NIA Special Court in Ahmedabad in October 2025, naming eight more accused. These include Pakistani national Tariq (also known as Bhaijaan), Gagandeep Singh Arora, Tamanna Gupta, Sukhbir Singh (also known as Happy), and Anwar Masih. So far, 26 people have been charged in the case. The charges include sections of the NDPS Act, Indian Penal Code, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), focusing on terror funding and conspiracy. Some accused are still at large.
Attaching the Amritsar house is a direct move against the syndicate’s financial network. NIA teams carried out the order in accordance with legal procedures, with independent witnesses and assistance from local authorities.
The property is now officially attached as “proceeds of terrorism.” This action is similar to other NIA cases, where assets like real estate and bank accounts linked to the accused or their families are seized to weaken the financial base of terror groups.
By tracing the chain from Pakistani suppliers and sea smugglers to Indian distributors and international money launderers, the NIA has mapped out a multi-country operation that was allegedly set up to benefit LeT.
The attachment of the property on Tuesday shows that, even with some accused in custody or on the run, the agency will continue to target property obtained through this illegal trade, an official said.
