The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 1 October 2026 arrested Harwinder Kumar alias Sonu, a fugitive deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in connection with the targeted killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab in 2024. Kumar was taken into custody the moment he landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, following what the agency described as vigorous diplomatic efforts to secure his return.

What Harwinder Kumar Is Accused Of

Harwinder Kumar, identified as accused number 7 in the NIA chargesheet, allegedly served as a logistics provider, financer, and recruiter for Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives based abroad. According to the NIA, he arranged weapons, facilitated their delivery to the shooters, and received and transferred terror funds — all acting on instructions from Germany-based BKI operatives Harjit Singh alias Laddi and Kulbeer Singh alias Sidhu.

He was subsequently produced before the Special NIA Court for custody and further legal proceedings, the agency stated.

The 2024 Killing of Vikas Prabhakar

Vikas Prabhakar was shot dead by BKI operatives at a grocery shop in Roopnagar, Nangal on 13 April 2024. According to the NIA, the assassination was orchestrated at the behest of Pakistan-based BKI chief Wadhawa Singh alias Babbar, with the stated intent of stoking communal unrest. The agency registered the case — RC-06/2024/NIA/DLI — on 9 May 2024 and has since filed three chargesheets in the matter.

A Second UAE-Linked Arrest

This is not the first UAE-connected arrest in the case. On 13 August 2026, the NIA had intercepted Manveer Ram at Amritsar Airport. Ram was allegedly involved in supplying the weapons used in the killing. The back-to-back arrests of UAE-based accused underline an emerging pattern of cross-border logistics networks supporting domestic terror strikes.

Diplomatic and Inter-Agency Coordination

The NIA credited the deportation to coordinated efforts by multiple agencies. Notably, the agency's ability to secure Kumar's return from the UAE reflects a broader push by Indian authorities to repatriate fugitives wanted in terrorism cases — a process that has gained traction in recent years through bilateral law-enforcement channels. The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of the BKI's overseas financing and recruitment operations targeting Punjab.

What Comes Next

With Kumar now in judicial custody, the NIA is expected to seek further remand to probe the full extent of his financial and logistical network. Investigators are believed to be tracing fund flows linked to the Germany-based conspirators, and additional arrests cannot be ruled out. The case is being closely watched as a test of India's ability to dismantle diaspora-linked terror infrastructure.