In conjunction with its investigation into the smuggling of illegal substances and weapons, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against 13 people, including 10 Sri Lankans and three Indians. The case pertains to the efforts to resuscitate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the two countries.
According to the NIA, a charge sheet against the apprehended individuals for using the illegal drug trade to fund, gather, and store weapons for the resurgence of the LTTE in India and Sri Lanka was submitted on Thursday. Selvakumar M, Vigneshwara Perumal alias Vicky, and Iyyapan Nandhu alias Ayyappan Nandhu are three Indians whose names appeared on it.
C Gunasekaran alias Guna, Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna, Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseka, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Dhanukka Roshan, Ladiya alias Nalin Chathuranga, Vella Suranga alias Gamage Suranga Pradeep, Thilipan alias Dileepan and Danarathnam Nilukshan are the accused Sri Lankan nationals.
Various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act are invoked against them. While Vigneshwara Perumal and Iyyapan Nandhu were arrested in April of this year, the others were caught in December of last year. On July 8 of last year, the NIA suo moto launched the probe and arrested the 13 perpetrators from Tamil Nadu.
Pushparajah and C Gunasekaran ran a drug ring in the island nation and collaborated with Haji Salim, a supplier of both drugs and weapons from Pakistan. “The drugs were being sourced from Salim, who is suspected to be residing in Pakistan. The accused persons were using foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine trade.” NIA highlighted this in its official statement.
Salim Haji has reportedly worked with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was in charge of practically all marine drug and weapon smuggling to India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and other adjacent nations.
NIA stated, “Investigations in the case had exposed their conspiracy to fund the revival of LTTE through the drug trade. They were arrested (last year) at the Trichy Special Camp. Investigations had further revealed that the accused were using the proceeds of crime to live a lavish life.”
“Several mobile phones with pre-activated Indian SIM cards were also seized from them along with various digital devices, documents relating to drug transactions, cash to the tune of ₹80 lakh, and nine gold bars. The cash and gold were proceeds from the sale of narcotics and were being channelled through hawala networks between Chennai and Sri Lanka. Several transactions using Crypto platforms were also unearthed,” it added.
At least four separate instances involving a plot to relaunch the LTTE’s operations in Sri Lanka and India are being looked into by the federal agency.
Former LTTE intelligence officer Satkunam alias Sabesan was captured by the NIA in October 2021 in connection with an investigation into March 18, 2021, Coast Guard interception of the fishing vessel Ravihansi off the coast of Minicoy in Lakshwadeep, which resulted in the seizure of 300 kg of heroin, thousands of rounds of 9 mm ammunition, and five AK47 rifles.
