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Politics
Punjab AAP leader says police brought back more than a dozen gangsters from abroad
The Punjab Police have successfully repatriated over a dozen gangsters from countries including Canada and the U.S. Amidst claims of a revitalized approach under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the initiative tackles drug smuggling and violent crime at an international level.
AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu said the Bhagwant Mann government’s campaign against drugs and organised crime has extended beyond the state, with the Punjab Police bringing back more than a dozen gangsters from foreign countries across the world.
Pannu said the latest case involved Karamveer Singh alias Karamveer Deo, whom he described as a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. According to Pannu, Deo was deported from Canada and arrested at Delhi airport, after which an Anti-Gangster Task Force team began bringing him to Punjab.
He said gangsters had been brought back from the United States, Dubai, Malaysia and Moldova. Those named by him included Sachin Bishnoi, Manpreet Singh alias Pita, Ramanjit Singh alias Romi, Parminder Singh alias Pindi, Anmol Bishnoi, Amritpal alias Mehro, Gurvinder Singh and Jobandeep Singh alias Joban Billa.
Pannu said Anmol Bishnoi, whom he described as a major gangster and close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi, was brought back from the United States. He said Amritpal alias Mehro, who was accused of murdering an Instagram influencer before fleeing abroad, was brought from Dubai, while Gurvinder Singh was brought from Malaysia.
He said the AGTF brought gangster Amritpal alias Amrit Dalam back from Moldova two days ago. Pannu added that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met the team and appreciated its efforts.
Pannu said the government’s approach was different from previous administrations, claiming that gangsterism had expanded significantly during 2007-2017 and continued during the 2017-2022 Congress government. He alleged that a gangster from Uttar Pradesh was brought to a Punjab jail and given VIP facilities during the earlier government.
Police technology and overseas cooperation
Pannu said the Mann government had strengthened and modernised the Punjab Police with advanced technology and equipment. He said the upgrades were aimed at improving the force’s ability to prevent crime and apprehend gangsters.
Referring to a recent Ludhiana encounter, Pannu said police had prior information about a planned attack on a blood donation camp and were therefore able to act before the alleged attackers could execute their plan.
He said Punjab Police was pursuing criminals even in countries with which India does not have an extradition treaty. According to Pannu, cooperation with countries where gangsters are hiding was also improving because such criminals had become a problem for those countries abroad.
Pannu criticised the Opposition, alleging that it was trying to discredit the Punjab government by repeatedly raising issues without acknowledging action against organised crime.
He said the government’s message was that anyone involved in crime in Punjab and threatening its people would be pursued regardless of where they were hiding.