New Delhi: In a first, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Tuesday summoned popular Punjabi playback singer Afsana Khan, a close friend of deceased singer Sidhu Moose Wala, in an ongoing investigation into criminal-gangster terror syndicates.
Currently, she is being interrogated at the NIA headquarters in the capital.
According to sources in the agency, Khan was due to be questioned about her association with the Bambiha gang, an arch-rival of the Bishnoi gang.
The rival gang is alleged to have orchestrated the murder of Moose Wala, as they suspected him to be close to the Bambiha gang.
Who is Afsana Khan?
Khan has given chartbuster hits like Titliyan featuring Sargun Mehta and Hardy Sandhu. She was also a participant in Big Boss 15. She had also sung Jaandi Vaar, alongside Moose Wala—his last song, which was to be released in September but was then put on hold after a court’s directions.
Khan was also very close to Moose Wala, who was present at her wedding and had entered the venue with the bride.
According to sources, Khan will be questioned about her association with Bambiha gang and its members, including Armenia-based Lucky Gaurav Patial and Sukhpreet Singh Budha.
“Khan has also been going abroad for shows and we have found some international linkages which are under probe. The funds are also being probed,” a source said.
NIA’s crackdown
The investigation against Khan is part of a larger crackdown by the NIA against organised crime and gangsters.
NIA has registered over six cases against several wanted gangsters including members of the Bishnoi, Bambiha and Rinda gangs, in which several locations have been raided across the country. Last week, over 52 locations in four states were searched by the agency. On September 12, the NIA had also searched 50 locations.
“These raids and arrests are targeted at dismantling the organised crime sector with a focus on top gangsters, their business and associates in Punjab, Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan. The aim is to target their syndicates and networks,” a source said.
“It is an effort to dismantle these transnational terror and crime networks,” they said.
“During the investigation, it has been found that these gangsters, despite being lodged inside jails in different states, have been in touch through phones and have been operating freely from the inside,” the source said.
The NIA is also working in association with the Delhi Police which is working on an investigation against the Bishnoi and Lawrence gangs.
Also read: Accused in Sidhu Moose Wala murder case conducted recce in Mumbai to target Salman Khan