Policeman and six ‘gangsters’ arrested, four firearms and drugs seized

Jalandhar rural police have arrested seven members of the Ankush Bhaya gang, including a police constable, having links with major crime syndicates – Goldy Brar, Harvinder Singh Rinda, Vikram Brar and Ravi Balachoria.

The arrested persons have been identified as Ankush Sabharwal alias Bhaya, his brother Pankaj Sabharwal, Vishal Sabharwal, Harmanpreet Singh, Jaskaran Singh Purewal, Aryan Singh (police constable) and Rupesh Kumar, all residents of Nakodar.

Senior Superintendent of Police Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said that police teams received a credible information and a checkpoint was set up near Malhri village where a car (PB-08-EZ-2018) was intercepted. The occupants of the car were found heavily armed and in possession of 1,000 Alprazolam tablets. The cache of illegal weapons seized during the operation included four pistols – two .30-bore pistols, one .32-bore pistol and one .315-bore pistol of local manufacture – along with seven live cartridges.

“Police foiled the gang’s plan to commit bank robbery and murder a rival gang member in Hoshiarpur and two others in Nakodar and Mehatpur,” SSP Khakh said.

The entire operation was led by SP (investigation officer) Jasroop Kaur Batth along with two police teams, led by CIA personnel in-charge Pushap Bali and SHO of city police station Sanjeev Kapoor under the supervision of DSP (investigation officer) Lakhvir Singh.

Khakh said the owners of the car, identified as Rupesh and Aryan Singh, had played a key role in providing logistical support and shelter to the accused. Besides, these individuals allegedly facilitated storage of weapons and illicit substances on behalf of the suspects.

Constable Aryan Singh of Nakodar Sadar police station was arrested for leaking sensitive information to the gang. Aryan had been absent from his duty for over one and a half months. According to police, the officer was allegedly involved in revealing secret details of police operations and providing logistical support to the gangsters.

Khakh said the gang leader Ankush was linked to foreign criminal Lovepreet Singh alias Ladi and jailed gangster Ravi Balachoria.

According to the police, the accused were high-ranking criminals and numerous cases of theft, armed robbery and attempted murder were registered against them in several police stations. “These cases show the gang’s long-standing involvement in organised crime, drug trafficking and violent activities,” he said.

The case has been registered under sections 111, 61(2) of the BNS and other sections of the Arms Act and the NDPS Act.

According to the SSP, the arrested individuals will be presented before a local court and their remand in custody will be requested to investigate the wider network, both locally and internationally.

The police have named two others – Karan Sabharwal alias Kannu and Dalbir Singh of Nakodar – in the case.