Sidhu Moosewala killing: SAD leader Nirmal Singh Kahlon's nephew with Lawrence Bishnoi links goes into hiding

Tribune News Service

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, July 7

Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) minister Nirmal Singh Kahlon’s nephew Sandeep Singh Kahlon, who is wanted by the Ludhiana police in connection with the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala, played a key role in the campaign of Akali leader’s son Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon during the Assembly elections earlier this year.

Absent from duty

• Sandeep Singh Kahlon is a nephew of former Akali minister Nirmal Singh Kahlon; handled SAD leader’s election campaign
• Posted as panchayat officer in Hargobindpur, he has been absent from office since May 26, three days before the singer’s killing

HC reserves verdict on Shagan Preet’s bail plea

• The Punjab and Haryana High Court today reserved its order on an anticipatory bail plea filed by murdered Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s manager Shagan Preet Singh
• He has, among other things, claimed “serious threats” from gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar in his plea in last year’s murder case of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera
• Shagan Preet Singh contended before Justice Anoop Chitkara’s Bench that he was neither named in the FIR, nor did his role surface during the probe conducted for nearly eight months
• The police, on the other hand, has submitted that there was sufficient prima facie evidence on record revealing that he was the “main conspirator” in the murder case

Sandeep is a panchayat officer in Hargobindpur, Gurdaspur. A native of Gurdaspur district, Sandeep went into hiding in June when his name cropped up in the killing of Moosewala. The police have said he has links with gangsters Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Lawrence Bishnoi.

As per Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Amandeep Kaur, Sandeep has been absent from duty since May 26. Repeated reminders to join back were sent to him and numerous calls were made, but he failed to respond.

The BDPO said, “Sandeep has been absent from duty without informing the department. The DDPO, Sandeep Malhotra, has sent an absent report to the higher-ups for departmental action against Sandeep.” Sandeep, who owns a stud farm, was appointed the panchayat secretary and later promoted as panchayat officer.

Sandeep’s alleged role in Moosewala’s killing cropped up when the Ludhiana police arrested Ajnala horse trader Satbir Singh, who along with Mandeep Tufaan of Batala and Manpreet Mani of Amritsar, had received illegal weapons for the Moosewala’s killing from Ludhiana transporter Baldev Chaudhary in Bathinda on June 19.

Satbir had dropped Mani and Tufaan at Bathinda, who were picked up by one Mandeep Manu (one of the shooters in the Moosewala’s killing identified by the Delhi Police). After having identified Toyota Fortuner of Satbir, the police arrested him.

During the interrogation, Satbir reportedly told the police that on June 19, ten days before the killing of Moosewala, Sandeep sent Satbir to Bathinda to drop Mani and Tufaan where Baldev delivered them the weapons. A few days after the singer was killed, Sandeep called Satbir and said Moosewala was murdered by their gang members and now he should remain alert.

Sandeep also gave a .315 bore pistol to Satbir for his safety and assured that he was in the process of arranging a fake passport for him, Mani and Tufaan so that they could flee abroad. When contacted, Ravi Karan Kahlon said he did not want to comment on his cousin’s role in the killing of the singer.

Inspector Beant Juneja of the CIA, Ludhiana, said the police had been conducting raids to arrest Sandeep and his accomplice Ranjit Singh, who went into hiding the day their role cropped up in the killing.

On the role of any politician, if any, as Sandeep was connected to senior politicians, Juneja said nothing could be ruled out as of now. “Once Sandeep is arrested and, if the role of any political leader crops up during questioning, the police will take action as per the law.”

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#lawrence bishnoi #sidhu moosewala