DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Punjab Police on Friday said it has solved the murder case of a Sikh activist Gurpreet Singh with gangster-turned-terrorist Arshdeep Singh emerging as mastermind. It further said evidence also finding links of jailed radical preacher Amritpal Singh to the case.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here that the police have solved the murder case of Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau, also known as Bhodi, with the arrest of three members of Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, who emerged as the mastermind.

Those arrested have been identified as Bilal Ahmed alias Fauji, Guramardeep Singh alias Pontu and Arshdeep Singh alias Jhandu, he said. Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau alias Bhodi was shot dead on October 9 while returning home from the village Gurudwara on his motorcycle.

The DGP said investigations have revealed that the murder of Gurpreet Singh was masterminded from abroad by Arsh Dalla and other persons.

Different modules have been used for conducting recce and executing the murder, with separate handlers based abroad, he said, adding that the criminals have used cut outs to mask the conspiracy.

"The three arrested persons constituted part of the recce module, being handled by Canada-based Karamveer Singh alias Gora. The recce module passed on crucial information to the shooter module through their handlers and cut outs," he said.

The DGP said the members of the shooter module have been identified and police teams are on manhunt to nab them.

"During investigations, evidence has come on record indicating the role of Amritpal Singh of Waris Punjab De (WPD) in the murder conspiracy. As per some statements recorded in the investigation, the murder was carried out at the behest of Amritpal Singh," he said.

Notably, Amritpal Singh, who is also an MP from Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency in Punjab, is currently lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act (NSA).

Amritpal Singh, who heads the WPD outfit and has styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was jailed along with nine of his associates under the NSA.

The DGP said the police would investigate the case on the basis of evidence in a professional manner.

"All angles and theories of crime would be examined threadbare and investigated in accordance with law," he said, adding that the criminal liability of all persons figuring in the investigations would be determined in accordance with the evidence available according to law.
(editor@dailyworld.in)