New Delhi, May 13: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested wanted narco-terror accused Iqbal Singh alias Shera after securing his extradition from Portugal following sustained diplomatic and legal efforts.
According to officials, Shera—identified as a key figure in a Hizbul Mujahideen-linked terror financing and narco-terror network—was brought to India and taken into custody by an NIA team at Delhi airport immediately upon arrival. He had been absconding since 2020.
The accused was wanted in case RC-23/2020/NIA/DLI (HM Narco-Terror Module) and was facing a non-bailable warrant issued in October 2020. An Interpol notice had also been active against him since June 2021.
Investigators said Shera played a central role in a cross-border narco-terror module allegedly involved in smuggling heroin from Pakistan and channelising proceeds through hawala networks to support Hizbul Mujahideen operatives. He is also accused of operating a Punjab-based network engaged in drug trafficking and fund transfers to terror handlers.
Officials further stated that the accused coordinated drug smuggling operations, managed distribution networks, and facilitated the movement of proceeds to terror-linked elements in Jammu and Kashmir and across the border.
The case was initially registered by Punjab Police after the arrest of an overground worker linked to the module, with subsequent recoveries of drug proceeds. The NIA later took over the investigation and intensified efforts to dismantle the network and secure Shera’s extradition.
The agency said further investigation is underway to identify remaining members of the network and their wider linkages.
