On January 1, 2024, The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on January 1 declared Canada-based Satwinder Singh alias Goldy Brar an “individual terrorist” under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Brar is alleged to be the mastermind behind the killing of singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu alias Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29, 2022.
An MHA notification said that Brar (29), a resident of Sri Muktsar Sahib City in Punjab and presently residing in Brampton, Canada is associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a listed terrorist organisation.
The Home Ministry, on March 7, 2024, designated Mohammad Qasim Gujjar (32), a resident of Reasi, Jammu as an “individual terrorist” under UAPA.
The MHA said that he is presently residing in PoK and belongs to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terrorist outfit.
Announcing the government’s decision, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said LeT operative Gujjar has caused numerous deaths and injuries with terror attacks and is involved in planning a war against India.
The following are some of the important persons designated as ‘individual terrorist’ by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Earlier, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander Ashiq Ahmed Nengroo was designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on April 18. Per the ministry, Nengroo has been responsible for terrorist infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir and terror attacks in the region.
He is now one of the several individuals designated as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) since its amendment in 2019.
Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, the founder and chief commander of Al-Umar Mujahideen, had been added to the list on April 14. Zargar was released from prison in exchange for hostages post the hijacking of Air India flight IC-814 in 1999. He has been associated with the Jammu-Kashmir Liberation front and was responsible for terrorist attacks in the region.
Earlier this month, the MHA had addedAli Kashif Jan, the JeM handler of the 2016 Pathankot air base terror attack, to its list of terrorists under the UAPA. Other terrorists added to the list recently include JeM terrorist Mohiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir, a chief conspirator for the 2019 Pulwama attack, and Hafiz Talha Saeed, a senior leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and son of LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed
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.
Also read | Time ideal to amend UAPA: rights group
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.
Here is the list of individuals currently designated as terrorists under the act:
1. Maulana Masood Azhar
Aliases: Maulana Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi, Vali Adam Issa
Who: Founder and chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed. He was a key conspirator in the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament which led to the deaths of 14 people, including 5 terrorists, and the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. He was also allegedly involved in the 2016 Pathankot attack and the 2019 attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama that led to the death of 44 CRPF personnel.
2. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed
Aliases: Hafiz Mohammad Sahib, Hafiz Muhammad, Hafiz Saeed, Mohammad Sayed, Muhammad Saeed
Who: The founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operating in Kashmir. He is one of the terrorists accused of masterminding the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in 2008 which left 166 innocents dead. He was also involved in the 2000 attack on the Red Fort, 2008 Rampur attack, and 2015 attack on a BSF convoy at Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. Hafiz Saeed was among the first four individuals to be designated as a terrorist under the UAPA post its 2019 amendment. At present, he is serving a prison sentence in Pakistan for terror financing.
3. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
Aliases: Abu Waheed Irshad Ahmad Arshad, Kaki Ur-Rehman, Zakir Rehman Lakhvi, Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakvi, Zakir Rehman.
Who: Senior leader in LeT, has already been sentenced to prison for terror financing. He is also accused of involvement in 26/11 and the Indian Parliament attacks.
4 .Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar
Aliases: Dawood Bhai, Dawood Sabri, Iqbal Seth, Bada Patel, Abdul Hamid Abdul Aziz, Anis Ibrahim, Aziz Dilip, Dawood Ibrahim Memon, Shaikh Mohd Ismail Abdul Rehman, Ibrahim Shaikh Mohd Anis, Shaikh Ismail Abdul, Sheikh Farooqi
Who: Starting out as a Dongri Don, Dawood founded the D-Company in the 1970s and has been involved in drug dealing, money laundering, smuggling as well as gang violence and terrorist activities since then. Dawood was involved in the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts that left 257 dead after 13 bombs were set off at multiple locations across the city, including the Air India headquarters, Bombay Stock Exchange, and the Shiv Sena office. He has also been placed on the FBI and Interpol’s Most Wanted lists.
5. Wadhawa Singh Babbar
Aliases: Chacha, Babbar
Who: The chief of the Khalistani separatist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI.) BKI has been responsible for attacks, assassination attempts, and bombings. Babbar is currently said to be based in Lahore.
6. Lakhbir Singh
Alias: Rode
Who: Khalistani separatist, current head of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and associated with the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). He is the nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the Sikh militant leader who was killed in Operation Blue Star. He is currently suspected to be in Lahore.
7. Ranjeet Singh
Alias: Neeta
Who: The chief of KZF, a designated terrorist organization under the UAPA. He is one of the terrorists accused of several bomb blasts between 1988 and 1999 on transport running between Jammu and Pathankot. He has links to the smuggling world and is accused of the 2001 murder of the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Jammu and Kashmir.
8. Paramjit Singh
Alias: Panjwar
Who: The leader of the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), a Sikh insurgency organization. He is wanted for terrorism, conspiracy, smuggling and murder. KCF is also accused of the murder of Indian Army General AS Vaidya and the 1995 assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
9. Bhupinder Singh Bhinda
Who: Member of KZF, which is also banned in the European Union. He is based in Germany and was accused of attempting to assassinate Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, leader of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Vienna.
10. Gurmeet Singh Bagga
Who: Member of KZF. He is also based in Germany and was sentenced to three years in jail for the attempted assassination of Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon. He is also accused of involvement in drug smuggling from Punjab to Pakistan using drones.
11. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
Who: Founder and legal counsel to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) a Khalistani separatist group based in the USA. India has designated SFJ as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA.
12. Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Who: Leader of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), member of BKI, also linked to Sikhs for Justice. He is currently resident in Canada and remains accused of conspiring to carry out terror attacks in India.
13. Paramjit Singh
Alias: Pamma
Who: Member of KTF and associated with BKI as well. He is also accused of spearheading bomb blasts in Patiala and Ambala, and of planning the 2009 murder of Rulda Singh, leader of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, a faction of RSS.
14. Sajid Mir
Alias: Sajid Majeed, Ibrahim Shah, Wasi, Khali, Muhammad Waseem
Who: Top commander for LeT. Also accused of involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008. He is based in Pakistan.
15. Yusuf Muzammil
Aliases: Ahmad Bhai, Yousuf Muzammil Butt, Hurreira Bhai.
Who: The commander of LeT in Jammu and Kashmir, he is currently believed to be resident in Pakistan. He is also accused of involvement in the 26/11 attacks.
16. Abdur Rehman Makki
Alias: Abdul Rehman Makki
Who: Brother-in-law of LeT co-founder Hafiz Saeed. He is listed on the National Investigation Agency’s Most Wanted list.
17. Shahid Mehmood
Alias: Shahid Mehmood Rehmatullah
Who: Deputy chief of Falah-i-Insaniyat (FIF.) The FIF is a banned outfit that is a part of the LeT.
18. Farhatullah Ghori
Aliases: Abu Sufiyan, Sardar Sahab, Faru.
Who: Terrorist involved in 2002 Akshardham temple attacks and 2005 suicide attack on a Hyderabad Task Force office. He is based in Pakistan.
19. Abdul Rauf Asghar
Aliases: Mufti, Mufti Asghar, Saad baba, Maulana Mufti Rauf Asghar.
Who: Terrorist based in Pakistan involved in the setting up of training camps for the recruitment and training of militants in the country. He is also a key conspirator in the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament.
20. Ibrahim Athar
Aliases: Ahmed Ali Mohd. Ali Shaikh, Javed Amjad Siddiqui, A.A. Shaikh, Chief
Who: Terrorist involved in the 1999 Kandahar hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814 (IC 814) which ended only upon the release of three terrorists by India. He was also a conspirator in the 2001 Parliament attack.
21. Yusuf Azhar
Aliases: Azhar Yusuf, Mohd. Salim
Who: Pakistan-based terrorist and brother-in-law of JeM leader Masood Azhar. He was also involved in the 1999 Kandahar hijacking.
22. Shahid Latif
Aliases: Chota Shahid Bhai, Noor Al Din
Who: Commander of Sialkot sector of the JeM. He is involved in facilitation of terrorist activities in India including launching of terrorist operatives into India and the execution of terror plots.
23. Syed Mohammad Yusuf Shah
Aliases: Syed Salahudeen, Peer Sahab, Buzurg
Who: Supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and chairman of the United Jihad Council. He is involved in arranging funds and financing to advance terrorist activities in India by mujahideen. He was one of several individuals designated as global terrorists by the US Department of State under executive order 13224 in the year 2001.
24. Ghulam Nabi Khan
Aliases: Amir Khan, Saifullah Khalid, Khalid Saifullah, Jawaad, Daand
Who: The deputy Supreme of Hizbul Mujahideen based in Pakistan.
25. Zaffar Hussain Bhat
Aliases: Khursheed, Mohd. Zafar Khan, Moulvi, Khursheed Ibrahim
Who: Deputy chief of the HM. He oversees finance and reroutes money to mujahideen in the Kashmir Valley.
26. Riyaz lsmail Shahbandr
Aliases: Shah Riyaz Ahmed, Riyaz Bhatkal, Md. Riyaz, Ahmed Bhai, Rasool Khan, Roshan Khan, Aziz
Who: One of the founding members of Indian Mujahideen (IM.) He has participated in multiple devastating terror attacks across the country, including the German Bakery blast in Pune, the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast in Bangalore, the Jama Masjid blasts, and the Sheetla ghat blasts, all of which occurred in 2010; as also the 2011 Mumbai attacks.
27. Mohammad lqbal
Aliases: Shabandri Mohammed lqbal, lqbal Bhatkal.
Who: Co-founder of IM. He participated in terror financing and multiple terror attacks in India including the German Bakery and Chinnaswamy Stadium blasts in 2010. He is also wanted for the serial blasts in Jaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat, all in 2008.
28. Shaikh Shakeel
Alias: Chhota Shakeel.
Who: D-Company member and associate of Dawood Ibrahim, based in Pakistan. He finances and facilitates underworld activities and operatives, and was also responsible for smuggling weapons to Gujarat during the 1993 Bombay blasts.
29. Mohammad Anis Shaikh
Who: Terrorist based in Pakistan and a facilitator of arms and ammunition supply. He was also involved in the 1993 Bombay blasts.
30. Ibrahim Memon
Aliases: Tiger Memon, Mushtaq, Sikander, Ibrahim Abdul Razak Memon, Mustafa, Ismail
Who: Alleged mastermind behind the 1993 Bombay blasts and Yakub Memon’s brother. The Pakistan-based terrorist is wanted by Interpol and CBI.
31. Javed Chikna
Alias: Javed Dawood Tailor
Who: Associate of Dawood Ibrahim. He was involved in the 1993 Bombay blasts. He is now based in Pakistan
32. Hafiz Talha Saeed
Who: Son of LeT founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and senior leader in the group. Per a Gazette notification from the Home Ministry, he is the head of the LeT cleric wing and has delivered sermons urging jehad against India and other countries. Saeed is also allegedly involved in fund collection and the planning of attacks by LeT operatives in India and Afghanistan.
33. Mohiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir
Alias: Maktab Ameer, Mujahid Bhai, Muhammad Bhai
Who: JeM member and key conspirator for the 2019 terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir that left 44 CRPF personnel dead. He is involved in routing finances from Pakistan to Kashmir for terror activities and facilitating infiltration of Afghan cadres. He was added to the list on April 11, 2022.
34. Ali Kashif Jan
Aliases: Jan, Jan Ali Kashif
Who: JeM operational commander and core planning committee member. He was the Pakistani handler responsible for the Pathankot air base terrorist attack in 2016 that left seven security members and one civilian dead. He is also involved in cadre recruitment and coordination of attack against Indian targets. He was added to the list on April 12, 2022.
35. Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar
Alias: Mushtaq Latram
Who: The founder and chief commander of Al-Umar Mujahideen. He was one of three terrorists released by India following negotiations to release hostages after the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814 (IC 814) in 1999. He has previously been associated with Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front and was responsible for several terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also been involved in murder and terror funding. Zargar is currently based in Pakistan.
The Home ministry also noted his contacts and proximity to other terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and JeM in its official notification designating him a terrorist under UAPA on April 14, 2022.
36. Ashiq Ahmed Nengroo
Who: JeM commander. Nengroo has allegedly been responsible for the infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir and for multiple terror attacks in the region. He is running a terror syndicate in Kashmir and is now “engaged in a perilous campaign to orchestrate terror in Jammu and Kashmir” from Pakistan, the ministry said in its official notification designating him a terrorist under the UAPA on April 18, 2022.
37. Sheikh Sajad
Aliases: Sheikh Sajjad Gul, Sajjad Gul, Sajjad Ah Sheikh
Who: The Home Ministry declared The Resistance Front (TRF), a front of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA. Sheikh Sajjad Gul is a commander of the TRF and had been designated as a terrorist and the outfit’s activities were detrimental for the national security and sovereignty of India. The TRF came into existence in 2019 as a proxy outfit of the LeT, a proscribed terrorist organisation.
38. Arjumand Gulzar Dar
Aliases: Hamza Burhan, Doctor
Who: Arjumand Gulzar Dar, son of Gulzar Ahmed Dar, resident of Kharbatpora, Ratnipora, Pulwama, went to Pakistan on valid documents where he joined terrorist outfit Al Badr and has been an active terrorist and commander of terrorist outfit Al Badr.
Arjumand Gulzar Dar was motivating youth to join the said outfit. He was also found involved in cases of recovery of explosives from the over ground workers in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir; Grenade attack on Central Reserve Police Force personnel on the 18th November, 2020 in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir; motivating youths to join militant ranks in terror outfit Al Badr.
39. Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo
Aliases: Sajad, Fayaz Sopore
Who: Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo is a Hizbul Mujahideen member and has been involved in managing finances for terrorists, supplying arms and ammunition to ultras and narcotics smuggling, the MHA said. Kandoo coordinated attacks, in which many security forces personnel and civilians were killed.
40. Showkat Ahmad Sheikh
Aliases: Showkat Mochi
Who: Born in Jammu and Kashmir, based in Pakistan, he was operating as Chief Launching Commander of the terror outfit Hizb-Ul- Mujahideen. Hizb-Ul- Mujahideen is listed as a terrorist organization. He was instrumental in spreading terror violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Showkat Ahmad Sheikh was involved in coordinating infiltration and recruitment of terrorists and execution of terror attacks owing to his deep network of associates in North Kashmir.
41. Basit Ahmed Reshi
Who: Basit Ahmad Reshi, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla but presently based in Pakistan, is one of the members of the terror outfit Hizb-Ul- Mujahideen. He was involved in subversive activities and coordinating target killings in Jammu and Kashmir. He planned and executed a terror attack on police guard post of shrine Baba Ali Raina at Tajjaur Sharief Peth Astan in Sopore on the 18th August, 2015 in which one police personnel and a civilian were killed.
42. Habibullah Malik
Aliases: Sajid Jutt, Saifullah, Noomi, Numan, Langda
Who: Habibullah Malik functioned under several aliases such as Sajid Jutt, Saifullah, Noomi, Numan, Langda, Ali Sajid, Usman Habib and Shani. He is associated with Lashkar-eTaiba(LeT)/ The Resistance Front(TRF). Habibullah Malik was the key handler of terrorists who carried out attack on Indian Soldiers in Bhata Dhurian, Poonch district. He created a wide network of hardcore militants and has been master minding multiple terrorist attacks in the Kashmir valley.
43. Basheer Ahmad Peer
Alias: Imtiyaz Alam
Basheer was the launching commander of Hizb-Ul-Muhahideen. He was responsible for providing logistics to Hizb-UlMujahideen terrorists, espically for infiltration into Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir and coordinates with other terrorist groups for terror activities in the Jammu and Kashmir. He was also involved in a number of online propaganda groups to unite ex-militants and other cadres for furtherance of activities of terrorist organisations like Hizb-UlMujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and others.
44. Irshad Ahmad
Alias: Idress
Who: Irshad Ahmad was a commander of Hizb-Ul-Muhahideen. He was also a shoora member of the same and was invovled in training and other activities of the terrorist organisation.
45. Rafiq Nai
Alias: Sultan
Who: Rafiq Nai is a launching commander of TuM and Jammu Kashmir Ghaznavi Force and has been involved in the supervision of narcotics and weapons smuggling and infiltration of terrorists into the Poonch-Rajouri sector.
46. Zafar Iqbal
Aliases: Salim, Jamaldeen, Shamsher Nai, Shamsher Khan
Who: Zafar Iqbal is the operational commander of Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami or Jammu Kashmir Ghaznavi Force and has been involved in supervising narcotics and weapons smuggling and infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir.
47. Bilal Ahmad Beigh
Alias: Babar
Who: Bilal Ahmad Beigh, the chief of Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front (JKIF), is involved in the smuggling of arms and ammunition into Jammu and Kashmir. He has been maintaining close contacts with notorious underworld entities and using the channels to transfer funds from abroad to Kashmir, the Home Ministry said.
48. Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman
Who: Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman is the chief or “amir” of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) and has been involved in coordinating the activities of LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), HM and other amalgamates at the top level.
49. Aijaz Ahmad Ahangar
Alias: Abu Usman Al-Kashmiri
Who: Aijaz Ahmad Ahanger, a Kashmir-born terrorist who has contacts with al-Qaeda and other global terrorist groups and is engaged in restarting the Islamic State (IS) in India, was declared an individual terrorist. Aijaz Ahmad, presently based in Afghanistan, is one of the chief recruiters of Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK).
He planned terror-related strategies in Jammu and Kashmir by building coordination channels between various terrorist groups. According to the MHA, Aijaz Ahmad is working towards providing traction to militancy in Kashmir and started the process of identifying people for inclusion in his Kashmir-based network.
50. Mohammad Amin Khubaib
Aliases: Abu Khubaiab, Pinna, Muhammed Amin Butt
Who: Khubaib, a launching commander of Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT), was involved in coordinating terrorists attacks, supply of arms or weapons and explosives, terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir from across the border.
51. Arbaz Ahmad Mir
Who: Mir was involved in target killing and he emerged as the main conspirator in killing of one female teacher named Rajni Bala in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Mir was involved in coordinating terrorism in Kashmir valley and supporting terrorists by transporting illegal arms or ammunition or explosives from across the border.
52. Dr. Asif Maqbool Dar
Who: Dar was involved in instigating or provoking the youth of Kashmir Valley for terrorist activities by using social media platforms. He was involved in influencing Kashmiri youth to take up arms against Indian Government and Security Forces. Dar was accused in a case investigated by the National Investigating Agency in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and major cities in India including New Delhi on the direction of handlers based across the border.
53. Aarshdeep Singh Gill
Alias: Arsh Dala
Who: Associated with the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), Mr. Gill is an accused in various cases registered and investigated by the NIA, including targeted killing, extorting money for terror funding, attempt to murder, disturbing communal harmony and creating terror among the people in Punjab. He has been designated as a terrorist by the Central government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 by exercising the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Act.
54. Harwinder Singh Sandhu
Alias: Rinda
Who: Harwinder Singh Sandhu is associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and has direct links with Pakistan based terrorist groups and is also involved in cross border smuggling of arms, ammunition, militant hardware besides drugs in large scale. He remained involved in various criminal offences like murder, attempt to murder, contract killing, robbery, extortion, etc. in the States of Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh besides being involved in several terrorist activities.
55. Lakhbir Singh
Alias: Landa
Lakhbir belongs to Babbar Khalsa International. He was involved in the terror attack through shoulder mounted Rocket Propelled Grenade on the building of Punjab State Intelligence Headquarter at Mohali. He has been involved in supply of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), arms, sophisticated weapons, explosives from across the border to various modules for carrying out terrorist activities in the State of Punjab. He has also been involved in various criminal cases related to raising of terror modules, extortion, killings, planting IEDs, smuggling of weapons and narcotics and using funds or proceeds thereof for terrorist acts in the State of Punjab and other parts of the Country.
56. Satwinder Singh alias Goldy Brar
Alias: Goldy Brar
Who: Canada-based Satwinder Singh alias Goldy Brar is alleged to be the mastermind behind the killing of singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu alias Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29, 2022.
57. Mohammad Qasim Gujjar
Aliases: Salman, Suleman
Who: Mohammad Qasim Gujjar (32), a resident of Reasi, Jammu is presently residing in PoK and belongs to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terrorist outfit. According to MHA, LeT operative Gujjar has caused numerous deaths and injuries with terror attacks and is involved in planning a war against India. He has been involved in carrying out a wide-range of terrorist activities, including coordinating, supplying, identifying locations for drones for dropping arms, ammunition, improvised explosive devices and cash, and delivering and managing consignments from across the border, according to an official notification.
With inputs from PTI
