Ludhiana: Ex-sarpanch was pressured by gangster Ajnaud for land deal, police probe reveals

As per the complaint, Tejinder Singh had approached the police on September 3, alleging that former sarpanch Parminder Singh was threatening him to sell his land

In a surprising twist to a complaint filed against a former sarpanch, the police investigation revealed that the ex-sarpanch himself was a victim of intimidation by gangster Raghvinder Singh, alias Ricky Ajnaud, and his associates.

Police officials said efforts are underway to locate the accused. (HT Photo)

According to police officials, the accused were allegedly threatening the former sarpanch to, in turn, pressure a local resident, Tejinder Singh of Kaddon village, into selling his land — so they could eventually acquire the property through him.

The Doraha police have registered an FIR against Raghvinder Singh alias Ricky Ajnaud, Jaspreet Singh of Sheron village in Sangrur, and Pardeep Singh of Gadriwal village in Hoshiarpur, following an inquiry conducted by the CIA staff, Khanna.

As per the complaint, Tejinder Singh had approached the police on September 3, alleging that former sarpanch Parminder Singh was threatening him to sell his land. When Tejinder refused, he reportedly started receiving threat calls from foreign numbers, warning him and his family of dire consequences if he did not comply.

However, during the investigation, police discovered that Parminder Singh had been acting under pressure from gangster Ricky Ajnaud and his accomplices, who were using him as an intermediary to force Tejinder Singh into selling his property.

Based on the findings, an FIR under Sections 111(4) (organised crime), 308(5) (committing extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), and 190 (unlawful assembly is guilty of any offence committed in the prosecution of the assembly’s common object) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered against the accused at Doraha Police Station.

Police officials said efforts are underway to locate the accused, adding that further investigation will determine whether the gang is involved in a wider network of property-related extortion and coercion in the region.

Inspector Akash Dutt, SHO at the Doraha Police Station, stated that the FIR has been lodged following an investigation. The things will be cleared after the arrest of the accused.

Ricky Ajnaud is now involved in social and community initiatives. Once associated with the world of crime, he gained public attention through interviews and podcasts where he shared his journey.