Goldy Brar Declared Terrrorist Under UAPA: Here's How Govt Designates Individuals Under Terror Act

The government has declared Canada-based gangster Satinderjit Singh alias Goldy Brar as a terrorist under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Goldy, who was the alleged mastermind of the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, is currently residing at Brampton in Canada and associated with Babbar Khalsa International.

An activist of the banned Babbar Khalsa International, Brar has been involved in the smuggling of high-grade arms, ammunition and explosive materials through drones from across the border and supplying them for carrying out killings and also providing sharpshooters.

The Home Ministry’s move comes days after it designated another Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa as a terrorist under UAPA. Landa was involved in a rocket attack on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in 2021, among other terrorist activities, according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Who is Goldy Brar?

Goldy Brar hails from Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab and is presently residing in Brampton, Canada. Brar had gone to Canada on a student visa in 2017 and has been an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. He is the son of a former Punjab police personnel.

Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for the murder of famed singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district in May 2022.

He is considered to be a close associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in NIA custody. He has been running his subversive activities in Canada, including ordering hits on opponents and extorting money from high-net-worth individuals.

In May 2023, the Canada-based gangster was included in the most-wanted list in Canada and a reward ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 was declared on anyone sharing information regarding him.

What is a Terrorist & Terrorist Organisation?

The UAPA aims to prevent unlawful activities and terrorist activities in the country. Originally only covering organizations that engage in terrorism, the Act was amended in 2019 to allow the government to designate individuals as terrorists too.

Though “terror” or “terrorist” are not defined, the UAPA defines a “terrorist act” as any act committed “with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security, economic security, or sovereignty of India or with intent to strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country.”

Part 4 and 6 of the law define the punishment for terrorist act, conspiracy and raising funds for terrorist acts and terrorist organisations.

How are individuals declared terrorists?

The central government may designate an individual as a terrorist through a notification in the official gazette and by adding his name to the Fourth Schedule to the UAPA.

Under Section 35 of the UAPA, the central government can, by notification in the official gazette, add or remove the names of individuals to the Fourth Schedule, if it believes that they are engaging in terrorism. The government is not required to give an individual an opportunity to be heard before such a designation, according to The Indian Express.

The government can designate an organisation involved in terrorism if it commits, prepares, promotes or is involved in terrorist activities.

The 2019 amendment did not clarify the standard of proof required to establish that an individual is involved, or is likely to be involved, in terrorist activities. It empowered the central government to designate an individual a “terrorist” if they are found committing, preparing for, promoting, or involved in an act of terror.

After an individual or an organisation is designated a terrorist, the government can forfeit the property, issue lookout notices and warrants.

In the case of Goldy Brar, the Union Home Ministry said Brar and his associates have been conspiring to disrupt the peace, communal harmony and law and order in Punjab through nefarious designs including sabotage, raising of terror modules, carrying out targeted killings and other anti-national activities.

A Red Corner Notice has been issued against him by Interpol and there is a non-bailable warrant against him. The central government said Goldy Brar is involved in terrorism and he is to be added as a terrorist in the Fourth Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The government has designated several people as terrorists including Maulana Masood Azhar, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, Hardeep Singh Nijjar and others.