The central government, on Monday, designated Gangster Goldy Brar as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, according to a notice released by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The announcement highlighted Goldy Brar's affiliation with the proscribed Khalistani outfit, Babbar Khalsa International.
The Home Ministry's notice asserted that Goldy Brar, backed by cross-border agencies, has been implicated in numerous killings and espouses a radical ideology. He is accused of making threatening calls to pro-nationalist leaders, engaging in ransom demands, and publicizing claims of killings on various social media platforms.
Identified as a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang based in Canada, Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was fatally shot in Punjab's Mansa district. Subsequently, Brar was identified by the police as the mastermind behind the murder.
In a June 2023 exclusive interview with India Today TV, Goldy Brar disclosed that Salman Khan was on the "kill list" of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The actor had received multiple threat emails, leading to an increase in his security cover.
The Home Ministry further implicated Goldy Brar in smuggling high-grade arms, ammunition, and explosive materials through drones from across the border. These supplies were allegedly provided to sharpshooters for carrying out targeted killings. The Ministry contended that Goldy Brar and his associates were involved in conspiracies to disrupt peace, communal harmony, and law and order in Punjab, engaging in activities such as sabotage, establishing terror modules, and executing anti-national activities.
Goldy Brar had been the subject of a Red Corner Notice (RCN) issued by Interpol in June 2022, shortly after the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala.
The announcement by the Home Ministry coincided with the declaration of Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa, associated with Babbar Khalsa International, as an "individual terrorist" under anti-terror laws. Singh was implicated in the May 2022 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack on the Punjab Police's intelligence branch headquarters.
National Investigating Agency (NIA) investigations revealed Goldy Brar's connections to Lakhbir Singh and another Khalistani terrorist, Harwinder Singh Rinda. Rinda was identified as the mastermind behind the RPG attack on the Punjab Police and a blast at the Ludhiana court.
According to investigating agencies, Goldy Brar was last known to be residing in the United States under a false identity.
