New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted raids in four states as part of a money laundering investigation into a petrol bomb attack on the RSS office in Ranchi in June, officials said.
According to officials, Pakistan-based banned terrorist outfit Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) is under the scanner of the probe agencies in the case, and the ED is the second federal agency to investigate the group after the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The Ministry of Home Affairs on September 16 declared SBN a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
ED officials said that premises in Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand and Karnataka were raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The investigation stems from an NIA FIR that was registered after the agency took over the case registered by the Jharkhand Police SIT.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionaries had alleged that petrol bombs were hurled at its office in the Nivaranpur area of Ranchi on the afternoon of June 17, leading to three arrests by the Jharkhand Police.
A gazette notification issued by the MHA on Wednesday invoked Section 35(1)(a) of the UAPA to add the Shahzad Bhatti Network to the First Schedule of the Act, which lists banned terrorist organisations.
The action was taken as the Centre believes that SBN was involved in various acts of terrorism in India.
“Shahzad Bhatti Network is an organisation whose objective is to involve gullible youth and local criminals to smuggle arms, explosives and narcotics from across the border, and through terrorist activities pose a serious threat to the democratic system, communal harmony and internal security of the country,” the notification said.
It added that the SBN is involved in “radicalising gullible youth” by offering allurements, motivating them for anti-national activities, and mobilising resources for anti-national acts in collusion with other banned outfits and similarly designated entities. PTI NES ARI
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.