Extortion racket busted by Jalandhar police, Pinda gang's 13 shooters among 19 nabbed

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 24

After a three-week-long operation, the Jalandhar Rural police claimed to have busted an extortion and arms smuggling racket affiliated with the Pinda gang with the arrest of its 13 members — all trained shooters. The police have further arrested six others for harbouring gang members and providing logistical support, said SSP Swapan Sharma here on Friday.

In all, 19 persons have been arrested, besides seizure of 11 weapons and foreign currency from their possession.

Involved in killings, robberies too

• Kingpin Palwinder Singh, alias Pinda, whose role had emerged in Nabha jailbreak case, ran gang with help of Paramjit, alias Pamma, living in Greece
• Pamma used to finance the gang by sending foreign currency via hawala to a member, who further distributed it among members for criminal activities
• The gang was involved in extortions, contract killings, highway robberies among other crimes, claimed Jalandhar SSP

Alleged kingpin Palwinder Singh, alias Pinda, whose role had emerged in facilitating the Nabha jailbreak, was apparently running the gang with the help of Paramjit, alias Pamma, a native of Shahkot, who is currently living in Greece. Pinda was a close aide of slain gangster Vicky Gounder.

The SSP said Pinda was brought on production warrant by the Jalandhar police from the Bathinda jail. Pinda is facing more than 25 cases, including that of the jailbreak. The SSP said the gang was involved in extortions, contract killings, highway robberies among other crimes. Nearly 15 of those arrested are residents of Shahkot, Lohian and Nakodar in Jalandhar.

The 13 shooters have been identified as Sunil Masih, alias Jeuna, Ravinder, alias Ravi, Pradeep Singh, Manjinder, alias Shavi, and Sukhman Singh, alias Subha, all of Lohian, Jalandhar; Sandeep, alias Dilli, Major Singh, Aprail Singh, alias Shera, Balwinder, alias Guddha, and Salinder Singh, all of Nakodar, Jalandhar; Satpal, alias Satta of Makhu, Ferozepur; and Devinderpal Singh, alias Deepu, and Satwant Singh, alias Jagga, of Shahkot, Jalandhar. All are history-sheeters and are facing cases of heinous crimes, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, and arms smuggling.

Six others arrested for harbouring and providing logistic support are Amarjeet, alias Amar, of Dharamkot; Balbir Masih, Erik and Badal, all residents of Lohian; Harwinder Singh of Shahkot; and Bachittar Singh of Kapurthala.

The police recovered nine weapons, including seven .32 pistols, three .315 pistols, a .315 gun, and a .12 gun, two vehicles and foreign currency amounting to Rs 8 lakh from their possession. The SSP said at least two to three weapons seized from the gang were imported.

The SSP said Pamma used to finance the gang and send foreign currency via hawala to Amarjeet, who further used to distribute it among the gang members to carry out criminal activities.

He said the gang had been active for the past six years and involved in organised extortion, armed highway robbery, land mafia and weapon smuggling from Madhya Pradesh.

SSP Sharma said: “With the arrests, the police have cracked three blind cases of murder, extortion, and armed highway robbery in Jalandhar and Bathinda.” Of the 19 arrested, 12 were wanted by the police in eight criminal cases.

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