The Punjab Police investigation into the murder of property dealer Charanpreet Singh Chinni — who was shot dead in Chandigarh’s Sector 9 in broad daylight on March 18 — has revealed that the main accused, Rajan alias Piyush Pehalwan, had been involved in multiple killings and extortion-related attacks across Punjab after returning from Malaysia.
Pehalwan and another shooter, Pritam Shah, were arrested in a joint operation by the Punjab Police anti-gangster task force (AGTF) and Haryana Police special task force (STF) in Kaithal, Haryana, on March 19.
According to the police, Pehalwan, a native of Ferozepur, had fled to Malaysia in 2023 and stayed there until February 2026, reportedly operating as a key handler for the Bambiha gang under gangster Lucky Patial, coordinating shooters and criminal activities from abroad.
According to the AGTF, Pehalwan reached Malaysia via Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, planning to travel to Europe through the so-called “donkey route”. There, he came in contact with Patial, who inducted him into the gang. His first assignment was to arrange shooters for a July 2025 attack on Jeevanjot alias Jugnu of Bhamanwala village in Faridkot. While the target escaped, his driver Yadwinder Singh was shot dead, an AGTF official said.
Investigations revealed that in November 2025, Pehalwan facilitated a firing incident at Bharava Da Dhaba in Rajpura after the owners reportedly refused to pay extortion money. In December 2025, he arranged shooters for attacks on the residences of NRIs in SBS Nagar and Guljarpura village of Patiala district following similar extortion refusals.
{{/usCountry}}Investigations revealed that in November 2025, Pehalwan facilitated a firing incident at Bharava Da Dhaba in Rajpura after the owners reportedly refused to pay extortion money. In December 2025, he arranged shooters for attacks on the residences of NRIs in SBS Nagar and Guljarpura village of Patiala district following similar extortion refusals.
{{/usCountry}}Soon after returning to India, Pehalwan was involved in the murder of a DJ worker at a marriage function in Jalalabad, Fazilka in February 2026. An FIR dated February 2 was registered at the City Jalalabad police station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
During interrogation, Pehalwan reportedly disclosed that he had been assigned four more targets by Lucky Patial and played a central role in recruiting shooters and coordinating attacks for the gang.