Weapon seizure case: Another suspect held

Tribune News Service
Amritsar, July 19

The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) has arrested Sukhpreet Singh, alias Sukh, of Jaintipur area in connection with the seizure of 48 automatic foreign-made weapons here on Sunday. This is the ninth arrest in the case so far.

He was produced in court, which sent remanded him in police custody for four days. According to the police, he was linked with a US-based notorious gangster Darmanjot Singh, alias Darman Kahlon, who got these weapons smuggled from Pakistan through drones in different areas in Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran.

Besides Jagjit Singh Jagga, who was arrested with the weapon consignment from Kathunangal area on June 11, Pargat Singh, Lovedeep Singh, Lovepreet Singh, Joginder Singh, Diljan Singh, Jobanpreet Singh and alleged KZF operative Maan Singh Nihang in this case.

Seeking police remand, the SSOC told the court that Sukh had connections with US-based gangster Darmanjot Singh and Batala resident Lovedeep Singh, alias Lala. He was allegedly involved in many crimes on the instructions of Darman Kahlon.

SSOC sources said arms droppings were made in Dera Baba Nanak and Khemkaran areas. Besides around 80kg heroin was also slipped into Indian Territory on the instance of Darman Kahlon. Nevertheless, the same was yet to be recovered.

Drones have been a challenge for the Border Security Force and the Punjab Police as repeated incidents of smuggling of weapons and narcotics substances were being reported.

The investigations carried out by the SSOC had pointed out that Darman Kahlon had links with banned terrorist organisations in the US, UK, Canada and Pakistan. Jagjit was working at the behest of Kahlon. The police said open-ended warrants of Darman, a proclaimed offender in Punjab, had been obtained.

Weapons in the cache included 19 pistols of 9 mm (zigana, made in Turkey), 37 magazines and 45 rounds; nine pistols of .30 bore (made in China) and 22 magazines; 19 pistols of .30 bore (star mark), 38 magazines and 148 rounds; and one pistol of 9 mm (Baretta-Italian) and two magazines.

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