The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday announced the arrest of wanted narco-terror accused Iqbal Singh alias Shera after successfully securing his extradition from Portugal following what officials described as sustained diplomatic and legal efforts.
According to the NIA, Shera was brought to India through due legal procedures and was immediately taken into custody by an agency team at Delhi airport upon his arrival from Portugal, where he had allegedly absconded in 2020 to evade arrest in a major terror financing investigation.
The agency identified Shera as a key accused and alleged mastermind in a major terror funding case linked to the banned militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Investigators claim he played a crucial role in facilitating narco-terror financing operations connected to cross-border terrorism networks backed from across the border.
NIA officials said the extradition marks a significant success in India’s ongoing crackdown against terrorism financing and narcotics-linked terror activities. The agency described the operation as an important step in dismantling Pakistan-backed terror support systems operating through international channels.
According to investigators, Shera was involved in coordinating financial and logistical networks that allegedly channelled funds generated through narcotics trafficking into terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir and other regions. The agency has been probing multiple accused in the case under anti-terror and criminal conspiracy laws.
Officials stated that Shera had fled India in 2020 during the course of the investigation and was later traced to Portugal. Indian authorities subsequently initiated extradition proceedings through diplomatic coordination and international legal mechanisms.
The extradition comes amid intensified efforts by Indian security agencies to target fugitives accused in terror financing, organised crime and cross-border narcotics operations. Over the past few years, the NIA has expanded investigations into networks allegedly linked to militant outfits operating from Pakistan and their financing channels spread across several countries.
Security officials said Shera will now be produced before a special NIA court in Delhi, where further interrogation and legal proceedings are expected to continue. Investigators believe his questioning could provide additional information regarding international funding routes, sleeper networks and handlers linked to terror financing operations.
The NIA has repeatedly maintained that narco-terrorism remains a serious national security challenge, with drug trafficking increasingly being used to finance extremist activities and destabilisation efforts in India.