LONDON: British detectives on Tuesday raided several properties in the Midlands in connection with alleged extremist activity and fraud in India. Some Sikh radicals in the United Kingdom have claimed that the raids were targeted at them.The raids took part as part of an investigation by the West Midlands counterterrorism unit, which raided residential addresses in Coventry, Leicester and Birmingham on Tuesday with the support of East Midlands Special Operations Unit — Special Branch.“The searches are in connection with allegations of extremist activity in India and fraud offences,” a spokesperson for the West Midlands police said, without giving any more details. No one has yet been arrested.Fugitive Indian businessman Nirav Modi , accused in the Punjab National Bank scam, is believed to be hiding in the Midlands.A spokesperson for the Sikh Federation (UK), however, said the raids were targeted at some Sikh activists and were linked to Jagtar Singh Johal, an accused in the targeted killings and under arrest in Punjab.“We suspect they are targeting Sikh activists as Indian authorities are desperate to get any evidence that theymay be able to gather to use against Jagtar Singh Johal. From what we know, at least one of the houses they have raided is a Sikh household and the Indian police have come over for this,” the spokesperson said.The spokesperson added: “I heard they were going through room by room taking away computers and mobile phones and spending two hours searching each room.”