Chandigarh, December 16, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
The arrest of dreaded gangster Sukhpreet Singh @ Budda, recently deported from Armenia through persistent efforts of Punjab Police, has led to the apprehension of 15 of his criminal associates, alongwith seizure of a large number of weapons, drugs and foreign currency.
The arrests include that of Bidhi Chand r/o Khuda Lahora, retired Deputy Passport Officer, who was posted at Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Chandigarh during 2007-08. He received 50,000/- rupees from Gaurav Patyal to prepare his Indian passport on a fake name & address and to deliver it by hand to him. Bidhi Chand retired as Deputy Passport Officer in 2011.
Disclosing this here on Monday, DGP Dinkar Gupta said Budda had been trying to get into US illegally from Armenia at the time of his detention. Since Budda fled from Punjab in April 2018 to UAE after the attack on Parmish Verma, he had travelled to many countries, including UAE, China, Iran, Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, Georgia and Singapore. However, Punjab Police was tracking his movements during his visit/stay in different countries.
The Punjab Police is now trying to identify his contacts in these countries, said the DGP, adding that Police teams from various districts, including Ludhiana, Moga, Faridkot, Khanna, SAS Nagar and Amritsar, were working on further leads, obtained during the course of investigation, under the supervision of Organized Crime Control Unit of the Punjab Police.
Giving details of the seizures made on the basis of Budda’s interrogation, the DGP said 6 weapons including 1 carbine, 1 Bulletproof Jacket, 3 kg Opium, 7 vehicles,, , ammunition and total cash of 13.80 lakh rupees and 1700 USD has already been recovered from him and his associates.
It may be recalled that Budda, r/o village Kussa, District Moga, was tracked down in Armenia and was detained on the basis of a Red Corner Notice (RCN) issued by Interpol and thereafter efforts were made to secure his deportation. Consequently, he was arrested from IGI Airport, Delhi, by Punjab Police, on November 23.
It may be recalled that Budda did not report back to Faridkot Jail after availing parole in Jugraj Singh @ Raja murder case of district Bathinda, in which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. After jumping parole, he, alongwith his associates, murdered Pradeep Kumar and Amit Saharan at a farmhouse in Chautala Village in Haryana in January, 2017. This case is being
Thereafter in July, 2017, Budda murdered Ravinder Kochar at his Rice Mill in Baja Khana, District Faridkot. In April 2018, he and his associates murdered Bhupesh Rana at Chandimandir Area, Haryana, in an inter-gang rivalry.
On April 14, 2018, he fired upon singer Parmish Verma after the latter refused to pay the extortion amount of Rs. 20 Lac. Subsequently, he flew to Dubai via Nepal, and started coordinating and operating criminal activities of making ransom calls, extortions and murders from Dubai.
While in Dubai, on his directions, three more sensational murders were committed by his close associates in Punjab, investigations had revealed. Hardev Singh @ Gogi Jattana, a Poultry Farm owner from Rampura Phul, was murdered on June 17, 2018, by two motorcyclists as he was suspected to be a Police informer in the Davinder Bambiha shootout case.
In another case of December 2018, Sukhpreet Singh @ Budda conspired to murder Rajinder Kumar @ Gogga r/o Manuke, distt. Moga, since he wanted to avenge the murder of his friend Beant Singh Sarpanch, who had been killed by Rajinder Kumar @ Goga, who was acquitted in that murder.
Recently, on the directions of Budda, his associates Lakhwinder @ Lakha and Amrik Singh @ Shera murdered Baba Dyal Das of Dera Harika Das, Village Kotsukhia, Kotakpura on November 7, 2019, after hatching the conspiracy with Baba Jarnail Singh r/o Moga. Both Lakha and Shera have been arrested by Madhya Pradesh Police.
The arrest and deportation of Budda is a big achievement for the Punjab Police. He was the most active gangster of Punjab during the last 2 years. Budda and his associates had spread fear and terror among the Punjabi Music/Film industry.
With his arrest and the arrest of 15 of his criminal associates, the perpetrators of 10 criminal crimes of murder/extortion/car-jacking and snatching have been identified and arrested so far. Four new FIRs have also been registered against Budda’s associates in crime, based on the disclosures made by Budda and his associates. Further investigations are in progress.
