New Delhi, Aug 14: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested another accused in connection with the targeted killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab’s Nangal town.

The accused, identified as Manveer Ram alias Ashu, was intercepted by immigration authorities at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Thursday based on a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the NIA. He was subsequently taken into custody by the agency and is expected to be produced before the Special NIA Court for further legal proceedings.

The case, registered as RC-06/2024/NIA/DLI, pertains to the murder of Vikas Prabhakar, a local VHP leader who was shot dead in April 2024. The NIA assumed charge of the investigation on May 9, 2024, and has since filed a chargesheet along with two supplementary chargesheets.

According to the agency, investigations have revealed that the conspiracy to assassinate Prabhakar was orchestrated by Germany-based operatives of the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The key conspirators have been identified as Harjit Singh alias Laddi and Kulbeer Singh alias Sidhu.

The NIA said Manveer Ram played an important role in the conspiracy by arranging firearms intended for use in the killing. Operating from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he acted as a key intermediary between the foreign-based handlers and individuals involved in procuring weapons and coordinating activities in India.

Investigators have found that his role extended to facilitating communication between the overseas conspirators and their associates in India, thereby helping to execute the planned attack.

The agency is continuing its probe into the broader conspiracy and is examining the involvement of other individuals linked to the case.

Earlier in 2024, a 22-year-old arms supplier, Dharminder Kumar, was arrested by a joint team of the Delhi Police Special Cell and the NIA in connection with the murder. A resident of Ludhiana, Kumar was allegedly involved in arranging weapons for the accused.

During questioning, Kumar reportedly disclosed that after being released from jail in April 2024, he came into contact through social media with an individual based in a Middle Eastern country who instructed him to procure firearms.

Vikas Prabhakar, the president of the VHP’s Nangal unit, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at his confectionery shop in Punjab’s Nangal town on April 13, 2024.

Mumbai, Aug 13: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office, has filed a charge sheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against Jayesh Vinod Tanna, Deep Vinod Tanna, Vivek Jayesh Tanna and seven entities of the Sai Group.

According to a press release, the charge sheet was submitted before the Special Court (PMLA), Mumbai, after extensive investigations into alleged financial irregularities tied to redevelopment projects across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The case traces back to 2024, when Mumbai Police registered multiple FIRs under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act (MOFA), 1963.

The ED’s probe revealed that the promoters of Sai Group diverted funds collected from flat and shop buyers in several redevelopment projects. Instead of channelling the money into construction, the funds were allegedly siphoned off, leaving buyers and investors in distress, the agency said.

According to the findings, the diversion of funds amounted to Rs 43.73 crore, affecting projects in DN Nagar, Andheri, Kandivali and Goregaon. The promoters are accused of misleading buyers, failing to deliver promised housing units and breaching financial trust.

To secure the proceeds of crime, the ED has attached assets worth Rs 43.73 crore under Section 5 of the PMLA. These include properties in Mumbai and Ahmednagar, as well as overseas holdings in the United Kingdom, it said.

The filing of the charge sheet highlights the ED’s intensified scrutiny of real estate‑linked money laundering cases, which have become increasingly common due to misuse of redevelopment funds. The agency emphasised that such fraudulent practices not only undermine the housing sector but also erode public confidence in redevelopment projects.

With the charge sheet now before the Special Court, the matter will proceed to trial, where evidence presented by the ED will be examined to determine the culpability of the accused individuals and entities.

This marks a significant step in the broader crackdown on financial crimes in the real estate sector, reinforcing the government’s stand to protect homebuyers and investors from exploitation.

Ranchi, Aug 13: Jharkhand Police have registered an FIR against 600 protesters who were allegedly part of unrest and violence that erupted during the Assembly gherao in Ranchi on August 10, officials said on Thursday.

Of these, 100 individuals have been named as accused, while 500 unidentified protesters have also been booked.

According to the FIR lodged at the Assembly Police Station, the accused have been charged with breaking police barricades erected as part of security arrangements, manhandling and misbehaving with police personnel, obstructing government work, and pelting stones at security forces during the protest.

Police said a large number of students and other protesters had gathered for the Assembly gherao. While nearly 90 per cent of the participants were peaceful, officials claimed that about 10 per cent turned aggressive and escalated the situation.

The police also alleged that some outsiders arrived at the protest site in vehicles and attempted to intensify the disturbances.

The clashes and stone-pelting reportedly left more than 14 police and security personnel injured. To bring the situation under control, the police fired tear gas shells, used water cannons, and carried out a lathi charge.

Authorities are now working to identify the unnamed accused. Investigators are examining video footage from the protest site, CCTV recordings, and drone camera footage.

Police officials said facial recognition and artificial intelligence-based technologies may also be used, if required, to identify those involved in the violence.

The students have been agitating over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in various recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) for the last 20 days.

Among their key demands is a CBI probe into the alleged examination irregularities. The Assembly gherao on August 10 was organised as part of this ongoing agitation.

Meanwhile, the Ranchi district administration has beefed up security in anticipation of the next phase of the ongoing student protest.

Agitating students are preparing to lay siege to the Chief Minister’s residence on August 20, though no formal announcement has been made.

More than 100 additional armed personnel have been deployed for the CM’s security, including personnel from the Jharkhand Jaguar and the Jharkhand Armed Police.