2 Neeraj Bawana gangsters held for ₹5 cr extortion to fund Bishnoi’s murder

Sunny Dagar, one of the two men arrested for the ₹5 crore extortion call case registered in Vasant Kung police station, is already in Patiala jail after his arrest by the Punjab police on August 14.

NEW DELHI: Two members of the city’s Neeraj Bawana gang have been arrested on charges of threatening a south Delhi resident to pay ₹5 crore as protection money, the Delhi Police special cell said on Tuesday.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out searches at residence of gangster Neeraj Bawana in Bawana village in the rorth-west district on Monday. (ANI File Photo)

Police said the two men, Sunny Dagar and Pushpender Lochav, were working on instructions of Canada-based fugitive gangster Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, who has partnered with jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana’s gang.

The arrest, which underscores how Delhi’s gangsters have formed alliances with gangs in Punjab, Haryana and even abroad, come a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) caried out raids at nearly 50 locations in the national Capital, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to crack down on organised crime.

Sunny Dagar, one of the two men arrested for the extortion call, is already in Patiala jail after his arrest by the Punjab police on August 14.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh, deputy commissioner of police (special cell) said the two arrests were made in the ₹5 crore extortion case registered by the Vasant Kunj police on August 16. The case was later transferred to the special cell, the city police’s anti-terror unit.

“Our investigation led us to Dagar, who is currently in Patiala jail. Our officers questioned him inside the jail during which he confessed to the crime. He disclosed that Lochav, who is a relative of the victim, tipped him off about the victim’s details. Lochav had a dispute with the victim’s family and knew that they could get money by making extortion call. Dagar said he was in touch with Arshdeep Singh… He also said he received instructions from Neeraj Bawana and Naveen Bali to eliminate their rival Lawrence Bishnoi (and Kala Jathedi). He made the extortion call to finance weapons for this operation,” said DCP Ranjan.

Over the last two years, Delhi gangsters have struck up partnerships with those from outside the city. Police records show that while Lawrence Bishnoi (jailed in Punjab), Kala Jathedi (jailed in Delhi), Goldy Brar (believed to be in Canada) are part of one alliance, the other gangs include those of Neeraj Bawana (jailed in Delhi), Sunil Maan alias Tillu (jailed in Delhi), Davinder Bambiha (died in police encounter) and Lucky Patial (suspected to be in Armenia).

After Dagar’s interrogation, police also learnt that Punjab-based gangster Arshdeep Singh, who fled India in July 2020, has become radicalized and joined hands with terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar of the Khalistan Tiger Force to carry out targeted killings. Police said that Singh, Neeraj Bawana and other Delhi gangs are trying to extort money to buy weapons, arrange logistics, and carry out targeted killings.

Dagar has been in a Patiala jail since August 14 after being arrested along with his three accomplices by Punjab police who had then said that the four men were part of a module backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Punjab police had recovered firearms, three hand grenades and one improvised explosive device from them.