Chandigarh, Aug 9 (IANS) In a major breakthrough in the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu in 2020, Punjab Police on Tuesday arrested key accused Gurwinder Singh, a.k.a. Baba, from Tarn Taran.
His two aides -- Sandeep Singh and Gurpreet Singh -- were also arrested, They were allegedly involved in cross-border smuggling of narcotics and weapons.
The police have also recovered one hand-grenade, one RDX-IED, two .30 bore pistols, besides magazines and 13 cartridges, 635 gm heroin, 100 gm opium, Rs 36.90 lakh drug money, and one Mitsubishi Lancer car from their possession.
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said accused Gurwinder Singh, who was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), had played a key role in the killing of Sandhu by providing weapons to shooters.
A probe revealed that Gurwinder is a close associate of gangsters Sukhpreet Singh and Sukhmeetpal Singh.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the recovered explosives and arms and ammunition were to be used to disrupt peace and harmony and create a sense of terror in the state on or before Independence Day, said the DGP.
Inspector General of Police (Ferozepur Range) Jaskaran Singh said following inputs that Gurwinder Baba with his aide Sandeep was on the way to Khadoor Sahib, the Tarn Taran police had intercepted their car and managed to arrest them.
SSP Ranjit Singh Dhillon said the arrests are likely to lead to disclosures of cross-border smuggling modules.
Two motorcycle-borne assailants shot dead Shaurya Chakra awardee Sandhu at his residence in Bhikhiwind in the border district of Tarn Taran in October 2020.
The bench noted that the victims have been denied a chance of effective hearing and the high court overlooked relevant considerations. It further added that the tearing hurry shown by the high court merits the setting aside of bail order and remanded the matter back to high court for fresh consideration. The bench said the high court order cannot be sustained and is thus set aside.
A local court on Monday remanded Abhishek Hiremath, the accused youth whose objectionable social media post allegedly triggered large-scale violence in Hubballi, to judicial custody till April 30. Prohibitory orders have been clamped in the city till April 20 and as many as 100 persons detained in connection with the violence.
Punjab Police have solved the hand-grenade attack at Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) office in Nawanshahr by busting a major Pakistan-based terror module run by Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, with the arrest of its three operatives, said Director General of Police V.K. Bhawra here on Monday.
There is no evidence for the theory that a bid to plant saffron flags at a mosque led to violence in Delhi's Jahangirpuri but was "a minor argument which later took the shape of massive violence", Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana said on Monday.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure the expeditious release of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana to fulfill the promise made to the Sikh community to release eight Sikh prisoners who have served more than the effective equivalent of a life sentence on the eve of the 550th Parkash Purb celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev in 2019.
The organisation said that Maan should express regret over the recent meeting. Dhesi had met Mann along with newly-elected Rajya Sabha member and AAP leader Raghav Chadha on Sunday.
