Two operatives of Bambiha gang held with arms in Mohali

Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the arrested accused were handled by Benipal, an aide of absconding foreign-based gangster Lucky Patial, who runs the Davinder Bambiha gang

The Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) in a joint operation with Mohali police apprehended two operatives of Davinder Bambiha gang near Focal Point, Mubarakpur in Dera Bassi on Tuesday.

Two .32 calibre pistols, along with seven cartridges, were recovered from the possession of the duo. (HT Photo)

Two .32 calibre pistols, along with seven cartridges, were recovered from the possession of the duo, identified as Harinder Singh, alias Bona, 25, a resident of Mehmadpur village, Dera Bassi, and Gurjinder Singh, alias Babbal, 24, a resident of Barana village, Handesra, Dera Bassi. The latter was previously working with the Banur municipal council.

Lodging an FIR, police also booked Harinder’s brother Kulvir Singh, alias Lala Benipal, a US-based gangster.

Sharing information with the media on Wednesday, Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the arrested accused were handled by Benipal, an aide of absconding foreign-based gangster Lucky Patial, who runs the Davinder Bambiha gang.

Benipal had earlier orchestrated two separate attacks in Mohali, including one on a financier in September 2023 and another on a rival gang member in December 2023, he added.

Sharing the operation details, Mohali senior superintendent of police (SSP) Deepak Pareek said police teams had received inputs that Benipal had tasked his gang members with carrying out criminal activities in the tricity.

The SSP added that accused Harinder was already named in an attempt to murder case and two Arms Act cases. Dera Bassi police had booked him in an attempt to murder case after he, along with three accomplices, had opened fire at five men in Valmiki Basti in December last year.

Arrest blows lid off fake passport scam

According to investigators, Patial had promised accused Gurjinder help with settling abroad. For this, Gurjinder, who got in touch with Patial through Harinder, got a fake passport ready through a local immigration firm.

Police have already recovered the fake passport and are working to nab the agents who prepared it in exchange for money.

“Many gangsters, including Anmol Bishnoi, brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, fled abroad on fake passports. Punjab Police had then arrested Delhi-based agents and got a case registered at the Dwarka police station. The state special operation cell (SSOC) had also busted a gang in May and arrested three men, including two Delhi agents, involved in making fake passports and documents for 20 hardcore criminals in Punjab, including Gopi Nawanshahria, a close associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, who escaped to Poland in 2022 using fake identity. We are working to expose this network,” a police officer said.

Were tasked with delivering arms in Haryana

According to police, gangsters Lucky Patial or Lala Benipal used to direct the arrested accused to deliver arms consignment or receive arms consignment from Haryana and Punjab without revealing the purpose.

This time, too, they were also tasked with delivering weapons in Haryana.

“Being brother of Lala Benipal, accused Harinder had also set up his own group here to execute snatchings and robberies. Besides, they were running an extortion racket in Dera Bassi, Zirakpur and Lalru area. We will soon arrest all his gang members,” an investigator stated.

Dera Bassi police booked both accused under Section 111 (organised crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and under relevant sections of the Arms Act.