E-Paper
Ludhiana: Three members of extortion gang held after exchange of fire
Handler in Canada; the gang used to target businessmen and extort money from them; police recovered 240 narcotic pills along with three countrymade weapons from their possession
The Jagraon police busted an extortion racket being run from Canada with the arrest of three persons on Tuesday after an exchange of fire.
The accused opened fire in the air after seeing the police team. When the police retaliated, the accused fell on the road.
The police recovered 240 narcotic pills along with three countrymade weapons from their possession.
Police said that they have initiated the process to bring the handler from Canada.
The accused used to make extortion calls to rich businessmen. The miscreants also threatened to kill them if they refused to pay extortion money. If the targeted persons would fail to pay the money, the Canada-based accused would order his ‘local shooters’ to open fire outside the homes of the victims to scare them, police said.
The arrested accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Babbu of Bajakhana road, Barnala; Manpreet Singh alias Sewak of Bhadaur and Lavpreet Singh alias Labha of Kaunke Khosa, Jagraon.
Their handler is Davinderpal Singh alias Gopi, a native of Bukkan Wala road of Moga, who is currently living in Canada, police said.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP, Ludhiana rural) Navneet Singh Bains said that Davinderpal Singh made his own gang to extort money. He used to make extortion calls to different people using virtual numbers in the name of different gangsters.
“The police arrested the accused from Chowkimann following a tip-off. The accused were crossing from the area on a bike. On seeing the police party, one of the accused (later identified as Gurpreet Singh) fired in the air with a countrymade pistol. The police retaliated and opened fire following which the trio fell from the bike. The police arrested the accused,” said the SSP.
“An FIR under sections 22, 25, 61, 85 of NDPS Act, 25(6)(7)(8) and 54,59 of Arms Act, sections 387, 336 and 120-B of the IPC was registered against the accused at Jagraon Sadar police station,” he added.
Further, he added that Davinderpal Singh is already facing trial in three cases under the Arms Act. Gurpreet Singh is facing one previous FIR. Two FIRs have been lodged against Manpreet Singh.
