Target killing and extortion module: Truck driver was used to find probable targets for extortion, says police
The accused used virtual numbers to make the calls to their probable targets, they said, adding the extorted money was to be spent on buying weapons and engaging more people in the module
Investigating the target killing and extortion module, police have found that truck driver Harsimran Singh was assigned to find the targets from whom the members of Amrit Bal and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang could make extortion calls.
As Harsimran used to deliver the material to different firms, he got to know their financial status also. He used to share the information to members of the gang, who later made extortion calls to them, police said.
The accused used virtual numbers to make the calls to their probable targets, they said, adding the extorted money was to be spent on buying weapons and engaging more people in the module.
Harsimran was earlier a member of Sukha Kahlwan group. After Kahlwan’s murder on January 22, 2015, he had joined Amrit Bal and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. He used to smuggle weapons from Madhya Pradesh for the module.
Inspector general of police (IG, Ludhiana Zone) Kaustubh Sharma said that role of every member was defined in the module and the police were tracking the module for a long time.
The IG also added that the police will bring notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria from jail on a production warrant for questioning in the case. Bhagwanpuria is already facing trial in murder case of singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already stepped in the investigation. The NIA team had visited Khanna on Saturday and enquired about the details of the case from the police.
The Khanna police had busted the target killing and extortion module operated by a United States-based gangster with links to international terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International with the arrest of 13 accused, including a woman on Wednesday. According to the police, at least 14 political and religious leaders of Punjab were on the target of the accused.
