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Punjab: Most-wanted gangster Amritpal Singh Dalam detained at Moldova border
Arrest of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria operative follows Interpol Red Corner Notice; Punjab Police begin extradition process.
In a major breakthrough against the Punjab gangster-terrorist nexus, Amritpal Singh, alias Amrit Dalam, a key operative of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, has been detained at the Moldova border in eastern Europe. The arrest follows an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) issued at the request of the Punjab Police in coordination with central intelligence agencies.
Amrit Dalam is a most-wanted gangster in Punjab’s criminal records, linked to several cases of murder and organised extortion. He had been evading the law by hiding abroad for several years.
Confirming the development on Saturday, director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said that Dalam’s detention was the result of “sustained international coordination” and a persistent trail followed by the state’s internal security wing.
Moldova is a landlocked country that shares its borders with Ukraine and Romania in eastern Europe.
“Legal and diplomatic procedures are now underway to secure his extradition or deportation to India,” DGP Yadav said.
The detention is seen as a significant achievement for the Overseas Fugitive Tracking Cell (OFTC) of the Punjab Police. The cell is currently tracking 61 high-profile gangsters across various international jurisdictions, including Canada, the US, and parts of Europe.
“Dalam’s detention marks a significant step in our ongoing efforts to track and bring back offenders evading justice overseas,” the DGP said.
Bhagwanpuria’s outfit is notorious for its alliance with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. This “super-cartel” has been linked to high-profile crimes, including the 2022 assassination of singer-politician Sidhu Moosewala. Bhagwanpuria is currently lodged in Tihar Jail but is believed to run his operations through a network of overseas handlers like Dalam.
The gang is involved in targeted killings, cross-border smuggling of heroin and illegal weapons from Pakistan using drones, besides running extortion rackets by targeting businessmen in Punjab.
