AAP worker among 3 arrested with six pistols in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, February 1

The Khanna police in Wednesday arrested the worker of Aam Aadmi Party from Maloud Deepak Goyal along with two notorious criminals —Akashdeep Singh of Nathumajra, Ahmedgarh, and Parminder Singh alias Pindri of Saharan Majra, Malaud, and recovered six pistols from their possession.

Nabbed accused were involved in smuggling of illegal arms and police also suspect their links with the notorious gangster Sukhpreet Budha.

Police recovered six pistols, including a Glock pistol 9mm (made in Austria) with one live cartridge, a countrymade .32 bore with 2 live cartridges, four countrymade .315 bore with 19 love cartridges from the accused. Police also seized a Toyota Fortuner (HR26BX9400) and an Etios Liva (PB39J3977) from the accused.

Senior Superintendent of Khanna Harish Om Parkash Dayama told the media on Wednesday, “On January 26 police had nabbed one Akashdeep along with 9mm Glock pistol. During the questioning of Akashdeep, he admitted that he has links with Parminder Pindi who possesses illegal weapons and he had also got illegal pistol from the links of Parminder. Accordingly the police on January 30 nabbed Parminder.”

SSP Dayama added that later during the questioning of Akashdeep and Parminder, both confessed that their accomplice Deepak Goyal possessed several illegal arms and ammunition. Accordingly on January 31, Deepak was arrested by Khanna police and five pistols with cartridges were recovered from him.

The SSP claimed that all the accused were suspected to be involved in the smuggling of illegal weapons and investigation also found that Deepak had to use weapons to allegedly kill someone in Khanna with whom he has old enmity. On being asked about the person on the target of accused, SSP didn’t reveal the names citing the ongoing probe.

SSP Dayama also revealed that accused Parminder and Akashdeep has links with gangster Sukhpreet Buddha and investigation was on to inquire if Deepak also has association with the gangster Buddha or not.

SSP Dayama asserted that further interrogation of the accused may give more viral leads about the close association of these nabbed accused with gangsters or their any involvement in the crime committed by them at the behest of gangsters.

The SSP maintained that 9mm Glock can only be issued to police or disciplined forces and it is quite shocking that how these accused got this weapon. Probe is also on to find out if the nabbed accused had got these sophisticated weapons from their links with cross border smugglers.

Sources confirmed that Goyal had joined the AAP in the presence of the party’s Punjab affairs co-incharge Jarnail Singh and Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura in January 2022. Even his father Sanjeev Goyal had also joined the AAP along with him.

Sources even said Goyal owns seed factories and rice shellers in the area. Before switching loyalty the father-son duo was active members of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). SSP, however, denied having information about any political affiliation of the nabbed accused.

Among three accused, Deepak Goyal has no criminal past while the other accused have criminal background. Accused Parminder is already facing cases of attempt to murder, fight, under Arms Act etc registered in Ludhiana and Faridkot while accused Akashdeep is facing cases of house tress passing, fight and under Arms Act registered in Ludhiana and Faridkot.

Buddha, a native of Kussa village of Moga district, had been acting as a self-styled head of Davinder Bambiha gang after the encounter of the latter in 2016. The gangster has been facing more than 12 cases. He had fled the country in 2018 and was deported from Romania in 2019.

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