Punjab’s most wanted gangster, Amritpal Singh, was apprehended at the Moldovan border following an Interpol Red Notice issued at the request of the Punjab Police in coordination with the central authorities. Amritpal is linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang and involved in extorting traders in Punjab, a police officer said on Saturday.
Legal and diplomatic procedures are now underway to secure his extradition to India to face the law, DGP Gaurav Yadav said, PTI reported.
Who is Amritpal Singh?
Amritpal Singh alias Amrit Dalam is said to be wanted in several serious criminal cases in Punjab and has been hiding abroad for a considerable time, DGP Yadav said.
Amritpal – a native of Dalam Nangal village in Gurdaspur’s Batala – fled India on a fake passport but continues to extort traders, especially in the Amritsar area.
In November last year, police arrested two of Amritpal’s associates who were tasked by him to carry out targeted killings.
What are the charges against Amritpal?
Amritpal Singh faces charges in at least four separate cases involving drug smuggling, murder and attempted murder. These cases are registered in Gurdaspur.
“The arrest of Amrit Dalam marks a significant step in our ongoing efforts to track down and bring back offenders who evade justice overseas,” PTI quoted Yadav as saying.
A cell to monitor overseas fugitives set up by the Punjab Police
Apart from Dalam, the Punjab Police has also identified 61 foreign gangsters who operate from abroad and carry out criminal activities in Punjab through their local associates. Amritpal is one of them.
To expedite their extradition, the Punjab Police has set up the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) and is currently hunting down these fugitive gangsters hiding abroad.
OFTEC is headed by Deputy Inspector General (Counterintelligence) Ashish Choudhary.
