New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an accused, a fugitive deported from the UAE, over the targeted killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab in 2024, an official said on Thursday. Harwinder Kumar alias Sonu, son of Chaman Lal, was taken into custody soon after he landed at Delhi airport after deportation from the UAE, the NIA said.The accused was involved in providing logistical support and funds to the perpetrators and had been wanted by the NIA, said an official statement.Prabhakar was shot dead by operatives of the terror organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) at a grocery shop at Roopnagar in Nangal on April 13, 2024, in an attempt to create communal unrest, at the behest of its Pakistan-based chief, Wadhawa Singh alias Babbar, said an official.Harwinder Kumar was deported from the UAE to India on Thursday after vigorous diplomatic efforts. Following his arrival in India, he was arrested by the NIA at Indira Gandhi International Airport and produced before the Special NIA Court for further legal and custody proceedings, the statement said.

The NIA had registered the case RC-06/2024/NIA/DLI on May 9, 2024, and has so far filed three chargesheets in the matter, it said.The present arrest follows the arrest of another UAE-based accused, Manveer Ram, on August 13, 2026, the NIA said.Manveer Ram, who was allegedly involved in supplying weapons used in the crime, was intercepted at Amritsar Airport and subsequently arrested by the NIA, the statement added.The NIA investigation revealed that the conspiracy to kill Prabhakar was allegedly hatched by Germany-based BKI operatives Harjit Singh alias Laddi and Kulbeer Singh alias Sidhu.The investigation established that Harwinder Kumar (identified as accused number 7 in the charge sheet), while operating from the UAE, played a crucial role as a logistics provider and financer for the BKI operatives based abroad.

He acted as a recruiter and handler, arranged weapons and facilitated their delivery to the shooters involved in the killing of Prabhakar, the NIA said.He also received and transferred terror funds in connection with the conspiracy, acting on the directions of Harjit Singh and Kulbeer Singh.The deportation of Harwinder Kumar from the UAE and his subsequent arrest by the NIA demonstrate the Agency’s resolve to pursue fugitives involved in terrorism cases and bring them back to India to face the due process of law, said the statement.The development is also the result of coordinated efforts of the various agencies involved in facilitating the return of fugitives to India, it said.

/IANS