Ludhiana gold loot mastermind held with police uniform, fake IDS

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police have arrested the mastermind behind the recent 2-kg gold dacoity in Ludhiana, which he had committed to mobilise funds for carrying out a spate of targeted killings as part of a pro-khalistan agenda to disturb peace in the state.

A special team of the Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU) arrested the most wanted gangster-terrorist, Tejinder Singh, alias Teja, of Mehadpur in Balachaur of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar from Mohali on Monday, director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said in a statement.

The DGP said that a set of Punjab Police uniform, along with an ID card of Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) were seized from Tejinder, who was also the prime accused in the January 2020 car-jacking incident of a Toyota Fortuner from Kharar in Mohali. The accused planned to use the uniform and card to gain access to restricted areas for committing crimes, including terrorist activities, he said.

The police have also recovered a Chinese 30 caliber pistol, 10 cartridges and a car. Tejinder had prepared fake ID cards such as an Aadhar card and driving licence from Noida (UP) to evade arrest. While on the run, he stayed at different locations in Delhi, Rajasthan, UP, and Haryana.

WAS PLANNING TO LOOT BANK CASH VAN

Tejinder, who had been arrested earlier too for involvement in more than 25 criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, car-jacking, and dacoity, said that he was radicalised and motivated to carry out targeted killings by hardcore terrorists in whose contact he came during his stints in various prisons.

“During questioning, Tejinder said that he and his accomplice Rachpal Singh, alias Daula, of Bhuchar Kalan in Tarn Taran, were planning to loot a bank cash van that transported currency from branches of State Bank of India to ATMS in Maur and Talwandi Sabo,” Gupta said. “They had checked the route and conducted a recce.”

After his release from prison in December 2019, Tejinder and Rachpal, who was earlier in jail for drug and weapon smuggling and is now absconding for a murder, procured sophisticated weapons from across the border.

They were expecting a fresh consignment of automatic weapons/drugs. A criminal case was registered against Tejinder and his aides in Mohali, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Tejinder was produced in a Mohali court today and sent to six day police remand.

DACOITY WAS CARRIED OUT TO MOBILISE FUNDS FOR CARRYING OUT KILLINGS AS PART OF A PRO-KHALISTAN AGENDA , SAY POLICE