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NRI murder: Family loyalist, minor among six held
Police said that Bal Singh, 28, who was employed by the victim’s family for the past 15 years and was close to them, is the main accused in the killing. Bal conspired with one Ghaja, who had a dispute with NRI Baninderdeep Singh, 42, over property and mone
The local police on Saturday arrested six persons, including a family loyalist and a minor, in connection with the murder of an NRI in Thakur Colony here earlier this week.
Police said that Bal Singh, 28, who was employed by the victim’s family for the past 15 years and was close to them, is the main accused in the killing. Bal conspired with one Ghaja, who had a dispute with NRI Baninderdeep Singh, 42, over property and money.
Bal hired four contract killers, including a minor, for the task. The accused paid the money to the contract killers which he had received from the family in his bank account for miscellaneous expenses, police said.
According to the police, Bal during interrogation revealed that Baninderdeep used to subject him to physical abuse and humiliation. Bal saw an opportunity to gain control over the family’s properties and assets as they heavily relied on him for assistance.
Commissioner of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that Bal, in collusion with Ghaja, planned to eliminate Baninderdeep. They hired four contract killers and promised them a sum of ₹3 lakh for executing the murder. It was also revealed that Bal had already paid ₹2.70 lakh to the contract killers.
The incident took place on the night of July 17 when Baninderdeep, under the influence of alcohol, was returning home on a bike with Bal from his farm house in Thakur Colony. Ghaja and the contract killers were waiting nearby and attacked the victim with a sharp-edged weapon and fled. They returned to the spot to check if he had died. After ensuring the victim’s death, Bal then raised an alarm and rushed Baninderdeep to hospital.
Initially, Bal concocted a false narrative to mislead the police, alleging that unidentified attackers had intercepted their way and killed Baninderdeep. However, his inconsistent statements aroused suspicion, prompting the police to intensify their investigation.
Ghaja is already facing trial in five separate cases related to property disputes, theft, assault, and possession of illegal weapons. One of the contract killers, Jaspreet Singh alias Jassi, is also awaiting trial for a case involving trespassing and assault. The remaining accused are first-time offenders lured by the prospect of easy money.
Main accused from MP and an orphan
Bal Singh, originally from Madhya Pradesh and an orphan, was associated with Baninderdeep’s family when he was just 12 years old. Over the years, he earned their trust and was entrusted with the responsibility of managing their properties in their absence. Bhagwant Singh, the victim’s father, had expressed his dependency on Bal for support and assistance in the absence of any other family members.
