Jailed MP Amritpal Singh, two Canada-based handlers blamed for murder in Punjab

Chandigarh, Oct 18 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough, Punjab Police solved the murder case of Sikh activist Gurpreet Singh, alias Bhodi, with the arrest of three members of gangster-turned-terrorist Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh Dalla, who emerged as the mastermind, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.

The police named jailed pro-Khalistan activist and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, along with two others based in Canada, for the killing of Gurpreet Singh in Faridkot on October 9.

The DGP, accompanying Inspector General of Police (IGP-Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill, Deputy Inspector General (DIG-Faridkot Range) Ashwani Kapur and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP-Faridkot) Pragya Jain, said those arrested have been identified as Bilal Ahmed, alias Fauji, Guramardeep Singh, alias Pontu, and Arshdeep Singh, alias Jhandu.

Investigations have revealed the murder of Gurpreet Singh was masterminded by Canada-based Karamveer Gora and gangster-terrorist Arshdeep Singh Dala. Different modules have been used for conducting recce and executing the murder, with separate handlers based abroad, Yadav said, adding the criminals have used cut-outs to mask the conspiracy.

“The three arrested people constituted part of the recce module, being handled by Canada-based Karamveer Singh, alias Gora. The recce module passed on crucial information to the shooter module through their handlers and cut-outs,” he said.

The DGP said the members of the shooter module have been identified and police teams are on a manhunt to nab them.

During investigations, evidence has come on record indicating the role of Sikh radical Amritpal Singh, who has been detained under the National Security Act (NSA) in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail, in the murder conspiracy. As per statements recorded in the investigation, the murder was carried out at the behest of Amritpal Singh, head of Waris Punjab De.

DGP Yadav said all angles and theories of crime would be examined threadbare and investigated in accordance with the law. The criminal liability of all people involved in the investigations would be determined in accordance with the evidence available as per law.

Sharing operation details, the DGP said a Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising police officials from Faridkot district and State Special Operations Cell, was constituted and separate teams were assigned the tasks of visiting the scene of crime and collecting physical and digital evidence.

He said mobile tower dumps at strategic places were obtained and analysed through big data analysis tools. At the same time, human intelligence was also obtained and developed. A large number of persons were questioned. Contact was established with persons based abroad as well to glean intelligence.

During investigations, information relating to a wider conspiracy to target more individuals has also been received and is being probed.