Extortion gang operating from US busted in Ludhiana, used to target NRI families

Khanna police booked US-based kingpin, group was planning to kidnap people in Ludhiana for ransom money at his behest

Khanna police busted an extortion gang allegedly being run by a United States-based miscreant with the arrest of the key’s accused six aides.

Police recovered 13 arms, including pistols, and ammunition, from the arrested accused in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

The teams also recovered 13 weapons, 11 magazines, three bullets and two two-wheelers from the possession of the arrested accused. Police officials said the group was planning to kidnap people for ransom money at the behest of the kingpin, Lovejeet Kang.

The six arrested persons have been identified as Davinder Singh, Karanjot Singh and Balkaran Singh, all three from Amritsar, Kohinoor Singh and Harpreet Singh both from Dhandari Kalan, Sahnewal, and Kamaljit Singh Bheela Kanjli village in Kapurthala.

Lovejeet Kang, meanwhile, has also been booked by the police.

Sharing details about the case, Khanna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said police had been investigating the kidnappings for the last nine days. He added that on February 26, police arrested Davinder Singh and Karanjot Singh and recovered four pistols and four magazines from their possession.

“During questioning, the accused told police that they were planning the kidnapping of some industrialists or non-resident Indians (NRI)s for ransom on the behest of Lovejeet Kang. The accused told police that more people were involved in the module,” the SSP added.

Following the information provided by the accused, police arrested Kohinoor Singh, Harpreet Singh, Balkaran Singh and Kamaljit Singh. The teams recovered seven more pistols, two country-made .315 bore pistols, three bullets, a scooter and a motorcycle from their possession.

Superintendent of police (SP, Investigation) Pragya Jain, meanwhile, said a case under sections 384 (extortion), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extor­tion), 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IP)C, sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against the accused at the Sadar police station of Khanna.

The SP said the Begowal police of Kapurthala had earlier on February 6 arrested eight members who are also alleged members of Lovejeet Kang’s gang.

The accused had on January 26 contacted an NRI family and demanded ₹10 lakh and threatened to kill them.

A case had at the time been registered against the accused at the Begowal police station. Begowal police had also booked Lovejeet Kang in the case.

The SP added that more important information is expected from the accused during questioning.