Close associate of Canada-based KTF operative Arsh Dala arrested in Moga

Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service
Moga, June 20

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The Moga police on Sunday arrested a notorious gangster identified as Hardeep Singh alias Suraj Raunta, who is also an accomplice of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala.

The police have also recovered one SUV Toyota Fortuner bearing registration number HR29AA7070, three weapons including one .315 bore pistol, one .32 bore pistol and one .32 bore revolver along with live cartridges from Suraj’s possession.

As per the information, Arsh Dala, a close associate of KTF’s Canada-based chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, is prime accused in targeted killings, including murder of Dera follower, firing on priest in Nijjar’s village, Sukha Lamme’s murder and super shine murder case besides wanted in different cases of theft, drugs, robbery across districts of Moga, Bathinda and Barnala.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Moga Harmanbir Singh Gill, while divulging details, said that following inputs from three persons arrested by Samalsar police under various sections of Arms Act on June 19, 2021, the police have arrested Suraj Raunta.

Notably, three arrested persons identified as Raja Singh, Iqbal Singh alias Ghaalu and Harmanpreet Singh alias Garry revealed to the police that Suraj sold them the illegal weapons.

Harmanbir Gill said that during initial interrogation, Suraj revealed that he was in close contact with Arsh Dala when the latter was in India and hatched a conspiracy to murder a clothes merchant in Moga city.

“Suraj also revealed that Arsh Dala tried to hire him on similar lines as he lured other sharpshooters involved in a target killing module being run in Malwa region of Punjab,” he said.

The SSP said that since Suraj was more notorious than Sukha Lamme in criminal activities, Arsh was eyeing on him to take responsibility of various crimes and target killings committed by him through the module in which Lovepreet Singh alias Ravi, Ram Singh alias Sonu, Kamaljeet Sharma alias Kamal had already been arrested by Moga police.

Arsh Dala and Suraj Raunta were known to each other since 2015 and were co-accused in many cases of Theft and Arms Act, he added.

SSP Gill said that further investigations were being carried out to unearth more details and criminals involved in several heinous crimes.

Meanwhile, the FIR has been registered under sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act at Samalsar police station.