A man from Amritsar was arrested on Saturday (February 7, 2026) in connection with the killing of AAP leader Lucky Oberoi in Punjab’s Jalandhar, police said.
The accused, identified as Shaminder Singh, a resident of Mithapur in Jalandhar, was arrested after a brief gunfight in Amritsar’s Khasa area, they added.
A .30 caliber pistol was seized from his possession, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Sandeep Goel said.
The accused, who was driving a Honda Activa two-wheeler when he was stopped by a police patrol, has a criminal record.
Oberoi, 43, was shot dead by an unidentified assailant outside a gurdwara in Jalandhar’s Model Town area around 7:30 am on Friday, shortly after he came out of the shrine.
While several aspects are being probed, police also suspect the involvement of Oberoi’s servant who went missing, sources said.
A two-wheeler believed to have been used in the crime and a Hyundai Creta car in the CCTV footage are under the police scanner, they added.
A case has been registered against two named accused, including a foreign-based gangster, and two unidentified persons in connection with the Oberoi’s daylight murder, with police suspecting personal enmity as the motive behind the incident, officials said on Saturday.
Police arrested gangster Jograj Singh alias Jog Pholriwal, who claimed responsibility for the killing in an unverified social media post, Dalbiru and two unidentified persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at Division 6 police station in Jalandhar Commissionerate on a complaint by the victim’s family.
However, the attacker and his accomplice, who were caught on CCTV camera, are yet to be identified and several police teams have been deployed to trace them.
Speaking to reporters in Jalandhar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Harinder Singh Gill said that of the eight bullets fired from the 9mm pistol, five hit Oberoi, resulting in his death.
He added that the autopsy was videotaped. Asked if the shooters were hired, he declined to comment, saying it was under investigation.
He also said that the role of servant is being reviewed.
CCTV footage showed that as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader came out of the gurdwara and was sitting in his car – a Mahindra Thar – the assailant in a black hoodie approached him on foot, opened fire and fled with an accomplice who was waiting for him on a two-wheeler a short distance away.
Satwinderpal Singh alias Lucky Oberoi, a financier by profession, was the corporator in-charge of AAP in Jalandhar Cantonment.
An unverified social media post purportedly written by Joga Pholriwal claimed the killing.
Several allegations were leveled against Oberoi in a post claiming that he was killed due to personal enmity over a college presidency dispute.
A police officer said on Saturday that Joga Pholriwal, Dalbira and two others were accused in Oberoi’s murder. Joga Pholriwal, who hails from Pholriwal in Jalandhar district, is believed to be living abroad, the officer added.
Oberoi and Joga Pholriwal were friends earlier. In the Facebook post, the two are seen sharing a cake, sources said.
However, their relations soured after the election of the student union president of Khalsa College, they said.
Oberoi’s brother, Damandeep Singh, on whose statement the FIR was lodged, named Joga Pholriwal and Dalbiru in his complaint, saying the pair had recently threatened the victim.
However, police said the family did not file any complaint about the alleged threats at the time.
On Friday (February 7, 2026) morning, Oberoi and his brother went to the gurdwara along with one of their friends.
Police said several teams have been deployed to trace the assailant and his accomplices, who were seen fleeing the spot in a Honda Activa. Both were wearing sweatshirts.
Oberoi was cremated in Jalandhar on Saturday.
Punjab Minister Mohinder Bhagat said those involved in the killings would be arrested, adding that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had sent the DGP to Jalandhar after the incident.
About one of the family members who criticized the state government for Oberoi’s killing, Bhagat said it was natural for the family to be troubled after such an incident.
The opposition Congress, Akali Dal and BJP criticized the AAP government over the incident, claiming that Punjab’s law and order had collapsed under it.
Published – 07 Feb 2026 21:44 IST
