Amritpal's key aide, 3 others arrested with illegal arms, drugs

The Jalandhar Police Commissionerate, led by Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma, has arrested four persons, including a personal security officer of jailed Waris Punjab De chief and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, in connection with the smuggling of illegal arms, drugs extortion and other crimes.

According to Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma, the suspects were operating a drugs and weapons smuggling network across the state and had been planning activities that posed a threat to law and order. The arrested persons have been identified as Lakhwinder Singh from Haibowal in Hoshiarpur, Gurbhej Singh from Gudara in Ferozepur, Satinder Singh, alias Kala, from Palahi in Hoshiarpur and Bharat, alias Bhau, from Barar Mohalla in Tarn Taran.

Commissioner Sharma said Lakhwinder, a known drug trafficker with multiple criminal cases, had connections with Harshdeep Singh, a suspect previously apprehended by police authorities. Harshdeep would obtain drugs from Lakhwinder and illegal arms from Gurbhej, a close associate of Amritpal, who is affiliated with the Waris Punjab De group.

He said Gurbhej, who had previously served time in Kapurthala Jail in connection with the Amritpal case and an attack on the Ajnala police station, met Lakhwinder while he was already incarcerated there for a murder case. The two reportedly conspired to smuggle arms, ammunition and drugs to various parts of the state.

“Evidence of phone calls and messages exchanged between the suspects suggests they were planning to target rivals”, he added.

An FIR has been registered against the accused under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act, with additional charges under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act at the New Baradari police station in Jalandhar. The police authorities have seized 10 cartridges of 12-bore, eight cartridges of 315-bore and 100 gm of heroin from the accused.

CP Sharma said further investigations were under way, with additional details expected to emerge as they dug deeper in the case.