8 of extortion gang arrested

Phagwara, February 6

The Kapurthala police have busted an international gang of extortionists and arrested its eight members. The gang has its links in the USA.

In a press release here today, the SSP Navneet Singh Bains, said teams under SP Harvinder Singh, DSP Barjinder Singh, Bhulath DSP Sukhninder Singh and CIA staff in-charge Jarnail Singh conducted the investigation.

He said the main suspect Gurikbal Singh alias Var, along with his accomplices, had kidnapped an elderly man Lakhwinder Singh of Gazi Gudana village on January 3 and demanded a ransom of Rs 3 crore from his son living in the USA. But due to police pressure, Lakhwinder Singh was released on January 6, he added.

The SSP said during investigation, it was found that Pawanvir Singh, a resident of Gazi Gudana village, who is nephew of Gurikbal Singh, did a recce to kidnap Lakhwinder.

He said Pawanveer Singh was arrested on January 11 on the inputs of an informer by the police teams.

On the basis of his interrogation and investigation, eight suspects had been arrested in this case. Those arrested, include Guriqbal Singh, alias Var, a resident of Ghazi Gadana village, Harmanjit Singh, a resident of Bamuwal village, Gurmukh Singh, alias Gora, a resident of Lakhan Ke Pade village, besides one juvenile of Ghaji Gudana village, Vijay Kumar, a resident of Fattuchak village, Amrik Singh, a resident of Khaira Dona village, Karamjit Singh, a resident of Khaira Dona village, and Germanjit Singh, alias Chaudhary, a resident of Nurpur Lubana village.

Bains said seven more suspects had been identified in this case, who were yet to be arrested. Among them were Vijay Kumar, alias Toti, a resident of Bhikhe village, Patwari, a resident of Kartarpur, Gurjit Singh, alias Jita, a resident of Padde Bet village, Jassa, a resident of Kapurthala, Lovejit Singh, alias Kang, a resident near Malsian village, who lives in the USA, and Amritpal, a resident of Model Town, Bhulath.

He said a Tata Safari bearing registration number PB 46L 0097, which was used to abduct Lakhwinder Singh, had been recovered from the gang. Apart from this, two motor cycles, one 32 bore revolver, six live cartridges, one country pistol, four live cartridges, one 12 bore gun, 10 live cartridges, 950 grams of heroin, three mobiles and one dongle were seized from suspects, the SSP said.

He further said nine cases were registered against Gurikbal Singh at different police stations and 13 cases were registered against Vijay Kumar.

The SSP said, during interrogation Gurikbal Singh, alias Var, disclosed that he sent the WhatsApp number of Lakhwinder Singh (victim) to his friend Lovejit Singh, alias Kang, residing in the USA and he, along with Amritpal, demanded ransom from the victim’s son, who resides in the USA. He said a case was registered on January 3, 2023, at the Dhilwan police station under various sections in this connection.

During interrogation, 950 grams of heroin was recovered from Gurikbal Singh and a case was registered on February 4, 2023, at the Dhilwan police station in this regard.

Gurikbal Singh, along with his two accomplices, called an NRI family on January 26, 2023, and demanded a ransom of Rs 10 lakh and also threatened to kill them, the SSP added.

A case was registered on January 27, 2023, in this connection at the Begowal police station.