15 aides of gangster deported from Armenia held with arms

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, December 16

The deportation of dreaded gangster Sukhpreet Singh, alias, Budda, from Armenia recently has led to arrest of his 15 accomplices, including Bidhi Chand, former Deputy Passport Officer, Chandigarh. The police have also confiscated a large number of weapons, drugs and foreign currency.

Bidhi of Khuda Lahora, was posted as a Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Chandigarh from 2007-08. He received Rs 50,000 from Gaurav Patyal to prepare a fake passport and deliver it by hand to him. Bidhi retired as the Deputy Passport Officer in 2011.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said Budda was trying to enter into the US illegally through Armenia at the time of his detention.

He said Budda fled from Punjab in April 2018 to the UAE after attack on Parmish Verma and had travelled to China, Iran, Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, Georgia and Singapore.

Gupta said the Punjab Police was tracking his movements throughout his stay in different countries.

The DGP said the police have been working on fresh leads obtained during interrogation of Buddha.

He said six weapons, including a carbine, a bulletproof jacket, three-kg opium, seven vehicles, ammunition and Rs 13.80 lakh in cash and US $ 1,700 has been seized from Buddha and his associates.

Budda, a resident of Kussa village, Moga, was tracked down in Armenia and was detained on the basis of a Red Corner Notice (RCN) issued by the Interpol. Consequently, he was arrested from IGI Airport, Delhi, by the Punjab Police on November 23.

It is pertinent to mention that Budda had not reported back to Faridkot jail after availing parole in Jugraj Singh, alias, Raja, murder case in which he was sentenced life imprisonment. After jumping parole, he, along with his associates, murdered Pradeep Kumar and Amit Saharan at a farmhouse in Chautala village, Haryana, in January 2017.

Thereafter in July, 2017, Budda allegedly murdered Ravinder Kochar at his Rice Mill in Baja Khana, Faridkot. In April 2018, he murdered Bhupesh Rana at Chandimandir Area, Haryana. On April 14, 2018, he fired upon singer Parmish Verma after the latter refused to pay an extortion amount of Rs 20 lakh.

Subsequently, he flew to Dubai via Nepal, and started criminal activities including, making ransom calls, extortions and murders.

Three sensational murders were committed by his close associates in Punjab on directions of Buddha, while he was in Dubai. Hardev Singh, alias, Gogi Jattana, a poultry farm owner from Rampura Phul, was murdered on June 17, 2018, by two motorcyclists.

On December 2018, Budda conspired to murder Rajinder Kumar, alias, Goga, a resident of Manuke, Moga, since he wanted to avenge murder of his friend Beant Singh Sarpanch, who was killed by Goga, who was acquitted in the murder case.

Recently, Budda’s associates Lakhwinder, alias, Lakha and Amrik Singh, alias, Shera, murdered Baba Dyal Das of Dera Harika Das, Kotsukhia village, Kotakpura, on November 7, 2019, after hatching a conspiracy with Baba Jarnail Singh, a resident of Moga. Both Lakha and Shera have been arrested by the MP Police. With Budda’s arrest, perpetrators of 10 crimes involved in murder/extortion/car-jacking and snatching have been nabbed so far.