Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], February 23 (ANI): Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav announced on Sunday that Batala Police had busted a major extortion racket operated by USA-based Gurdev Jassal and arrested two individuals, according to an official statement from the Punjab Police.

https://x.com/DGPPunjabPolice/status/1893514707195383957

According to the statement, a preliminary investigation reveals that on February 4, associates of Jassal fired on the petrol pump of a Kalanaur-based businessman. After continuous threat calls and a demand of Rs 1 crore, the businessman eventually paid Rs 50 lacs on February 11.

Acting on the technical investigation, ASI Surjit Singh and Ankus Maini were arrested for their involvement in the collection and distribution of extortion funds, According to the statement.

Further, Punjab Police stated that Jassal's gang used foreign numbers for threats and coordinated payments, ensuring that the extortion funds were routed through multiple intermediaries.

Batala police have recovered Rs 83 lakh, illegal weapons and luxury vehicles, , according to the Punjab Police press release.

Further investigation is still going on, and further details are awaited.

Earlier, Punjab Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, informed on February 20 that the state police had arrested another drug smuggler and around 3 kg of heroin in the 10 kg heroin recovery case.

As per DGP Yadav, the arrested person is Lovepreet Singh, a resident of Main Bazar in Attari, Amritsar. The development happened after the Punjab police busted a cross-border drug smuggling racket following the arrest of Harmandeep Singh, a resident of Ghumanpura village in Amritsar.

A total of 10 kg of drugs was found in his possession. The accused was found in touch with a Pakistan-based drug smuggler Chacha Bawa who used drones to deliver his drug consignment across the border.

As per DGP Gaurav Yadav, the police have named Lovepreet Singh as an accused in the 10 kg heroin recovery case.

The development happened after arrested accused Harmandeep Singh revealed that he had handed over 3 kg of the drug consignment received from Pakistan to his friend Lovepreet.

DGP Yadav added that the Counter Intelligence (CI) team of Amritsar was constituted to locate accused Lovepreet, and the latter was arrested from the Bus Stop Khasa at Amritsar-Attari GT Road in Amritsar. During the search, Police teams recovered 3 kg of heroin from his possession. (ANI)