In a significant development in Punjab's ongoing campaign against organized crime, the Punjab Police have apprehended the parents of foreign-based gangster Satinderjit Singh, widely known as Goldy Brar, from a hotel located in Amritsar. The arrests are directly linked to a December 2024 extortion case, with the authorities successfully securing police remand for the couple until January 30, 2025.
Statewide Crackdown on Gangster Networks Intensifies
This police action unfolds against the backdrop of the Punjab state government's determined initiative, termed 'Gangstran Te Vaar', which translates to 'War on Gangsters'. This comprehensive crackdown specifically targets gangsters and their extensive support networks operating within the state. Goldy Brar, a central figure in this campaign, is a wanted individual in connection with the high-profile murder of popular Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh, famously known as Sidhu Moose Wala, which occurred on May 29, 2022.
Additional Arrests in Muktsar Reveal Extortion Plot
Parallel to this, on Monday, law enforcement officials from Muktsar district made another critical arrest. They took into custody Shamsher Singh, a former Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Punjab Police, along with his wife, Preetpal Kaur. These detentions are connected to a First Information Report (FIR) that includes serious charges of extortion and criminal intimidation.
According to Sub-Inspector Darshan Singh, the Station House Officer of Muktsar Sadar police station, the complaint was formally lodged by Satnam Singh, who serves as a senior lab attendant at a government school in Udekaran village, Muktsar. The complainant alleged that he received threatening WhatsApp calls on two separate dates: November 27 and December 3, 2024. The calls originated from a foreign telephone number, and the caller explicitly identified himself as a member of the notorious Devender Bambiha gang. The demand was stark: a sum of Rs 50 lakh.
Court Proceedings and Investigation Focus
On Tuesday, the arrested couple, Shamsher Singh and Preetpal Kaur, were presented before a court in Muktsar. Shamsher Singh, who was forcibly retired from the Punjab Police force in 2021 following allegations of involvement in a murder case, and his wife were subsequently remanded to police custody. This remand period is crucial as it will allow investigators to delve deeper into the case, particularly to trace any potential money trails and financial transactions.
The prosecution's primary objective is to ascertain whether this couple has maintained any form of contact with Goldy Brar or if they have received funds from him. However, the defense counsel presented a counter-argument during the proceedings. They pointed out that neither Goldy Brar nor his parents are explicitly named in the original FIR. Furthermore, the defense emphasized that the extortion calls were made specifically in the name of the Bambiha group, which is known to be a rival faction to Brar's own criminal network.
The Elusive Figure of Goldy Brar
Goldy Brar's criminal trajectory is marked by transnational operations. After relocating to Canada in 2017, he established a formidable crime syndicate that operates across borders. Initially, he collaborated with another infamous gangster, Lawrence Bishnoi, before the two eventually parted ways. In a significant move, the Indian government designated Goldy Brar as a terrorist under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the year 2024.
Despite this designation, Brar's exact whereabouts remain shrouded in mystery. Conflicting intelligence reports have placed him in either the United States or Canada. Notably, on December 2, 2022, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann publicly announced that Brar had been detained in the United States. However, this claim was later proven to be incorrect, highlighting the challenges in tracking his movements.
The recent arrests of his parents and the former police officer underscore the Punjab Police's intensified efforts to dismantle the support structures of such high-profile gangsters, aiming to curb extortion and intimidation activities within the state.
