From small-time criminals to Punjab’s most wanted

South Malwa’s gangsters Goldy Brar, Arsh Dala and Sukha Dunneke are operating organised crime network in Punjab while sitting abroad through cross-border funding and extortion

Faridkot : Three gangsters of the south Malwa region, who were just local criminals back home, have emerged big in organised crime of Punjab after fleeing abroad. They are operating an organised crime network while sitting abroad through “cross-border funding” and “extortion”.

Punjab gangsters Goldy Brar, Sukha Dunneke and Arsh Dala.

Gangsters Satinderjeet Singh, alias Goldy Brar, of Muktsar, Arshdeep Singh Gill, alias Arsh Dala, and Sukhdool Singh, alias Sukha Dunneke, of Moga district, who are now among the most wanted gangsters of Punjab, were only limited to local gang rivalries when they were in Punjab.

But soon after landing on foreign soils, they took over the control of an organised crime network. They not only masterminded crimes but provided real-time assistance to their men by using their network in Punjab. The trio is wanted by the Punjab Police in cases of terror, murder, attempt to murder, loot, extortion and kidnapping.

They use social media and other digital platforms to communicate with their gang members in Punjab to plan and execute crimes, said a police official.

Brar moved to Canada in 2019

Goldy Brar, who is mastermind of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala and Dera Sacha Sauda follower Pardeep Singh’s murders, had no case against him when he moved to Canada in 2019, ostensibly to study (he was on a student visa). He was acquitted in all four cases registered against him before 2019. But soon after moving abroad, Brar embraced the underworld and started running extortion rackets and taking up contract killing assignments. Now, 50 cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion have been registered against him in various districts of Punjab, reveal police records. Brar is active member of the of the Bishnoi gang, running all operations at behest of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Brar’s first shot into limelight for wrong reasons in February 2021 after the killing of Faridkot Youth Congress leader. Since then, he has increased his activities by masterminding heinous crimes, including murder of Moose Wala.

Dala’s terror links

Arsh Dala, who has been designated as “individual terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Indian government in January, was facing six criminal cases in Punjab before fleeing abroad. In 2017, an assistant sub-inspector made a false verification report of Dala through which he got his passport and flew to Canada. After moving abroad, he got involved in terror activities, cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons on a large scale. As many as 29 cases, including five murders, were registered against him in Punjab since he fled abroad, taking the total number of cases to 35, according to the police. Dala is associated with the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and runs terror modules on behalf of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist, say police.

Dunneke, key ally of Bambiha gang

Category ‘A’ gangster Sukha Dunneke used to work at Moga DC office before entering the world of crime. He had also fled to Canada after getting police clearance certificate on forged documents with help of cops in 2017 even as seven criminal cases were pending against him. All these cases were linked local gang activities. But soon after moving to Canada, he indulged in killings and extortion through his men back home. Eleven more cases, including four murders, were registered against him since he fled to Canada, taking total number of cases to 18. Dunneke’s is an ally of Davinder Bambiha gang and operates mainly in Malwa districts, according to the police.

In an attempt to track the activities of the gangsters operating from foreign countries, the Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) comprising technical experts work in coordination with other law enforcement agencies. The police have also established links with Interpol and other international law enforcement agencies to exchange information and intelligence about these criminals.

Extradition a slow, cumbersome process

Despite these efforts, the process of extradition from foreign countries is slow and cumbersome, as the legal procedures involved are complex and time-consuming, say officials privy to the development. The extradition process requires a lot of documentation and legal formalities, which can take several months or even years to complete. In some cases, the foreign countries where the gangsters are operating may not have an extradition treaty with India, making the process even more difficult, they say.

AGTF head ADGP Pramod Ban said that Punjab Police have taken strict action against these gangsters and continuously trying to track them to break their network. “Besides extortion, these gangsters are getting cross-border funding, which they use to run their operations. Our teams are tracking the economic trail and we have established key leads,” he said.

“Brar, Dala and Dunneke moved abroad in their early days. Dala and Dunneke had fled using fake documents. But soon after getting active in crime, they did not stay at one place. Moreover, they have been shifting countries frequently to remain untraceable. We have got red corner notices against them but the extradition process is slow,” he said.

Gangsters roping in juveniles

“They have established a network which mostly operates through different calling apps and other social media platforms. Now, they are roping in juveniles not only for logistics but even killings. They lure them with money and weapons,” Ban added.

A senior Punjab Police official said that while Dala mostly arranges youngsters, who are new to the crime, by luring them with money and gadgets, including expensive mobile phones. “Unlike others, Dala prefers to work under the shadow. In 2020, Dala had got gangster Sukha Lamme killed and carried out crimes for a year using his name. Meanwhile, Dunneke operates through his old links and recruits most of the people to gang from Moga district. Dunneke, who was active in Moga, has expanded his operation with the Bambiha gang. Recently, his men, who were planning to kill a Mansa resident, were arrested in Sangrur,” he added.

An AGTF official said as most of the key members of the Bishnoi gang are in jail, Brar runs the show by after contacting them in jail through mobile phones. “In recent crimes carried out by the Bishnoi gang, Brar was the only link who was connected with everyone and gangsters on the ground only followed directions. With a pan-India presence, Bishnoi gang has carried out killings with a mixed batch of gangsters from various states and hideouts across the country. The planning in Sidhu Moose Wala murder shows how organised they are as police made pan-India arrests in the case,” he added.

Shifting siblings abroad

Further, the gangsters are also shifting their younger siblings abroad for safety and it is relatively convenient for them to run operations from foreign shores. In December last year, Dala’s brother Baldeep Singh Gill, who was out on bail, fled from the country reportedly to Australia using a fake passport. Earlier last year, Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol Bishnoi and his relative Sachin Thapan fled from country using fake passports before the murder of Moose Wala. However, Anmol was detained in Kenya and Sachin in Azerbaijan in August. But even after six months, their extradition is under process, said an official.

South Malwa, the land of gangsters

In past decade, the six southern Malwa districts --- Muktsar, Faridkot, Moga, Bathinda, Ferozepur and Fazilka --- have seen a number of gangsters who became a headache for the police not just in Punjab but across the country. The list of most dreaded gangsters includes Gurshiad Singh, alias Shera Khuban (killed in encounter), Jaswinder Singh, alias Rocky (killed by rivals) and Lawrence Bishnoi (jailed) of Fazilka district. Harjinder Singh, alias Vicky Gonder (killed in police encounter), from Muktsar district. Jaipal Bhullar (killed in encounter) and Gurpreet Sekhon from Ferozepur district. Davinder Bambiha (killed in encounter) and Sukhpreet Budha (jailed) from Moga district. Tirath Dhilwan (dead) and Gurbaksh Sewewala (jailed) from Faridkot district.