‘PU student got money from Bishnoi’s aide’
MOHALI: The police investigation has revealed that the Panjab University student Harshveer Singh Bajwa, who was arrested by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) in Mohali on Friday for allegedly funding a killer of Dera Sacha Sauda follower Pardeep Kataria, received money from his friend Perry, who is allegedly a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
Kataria was gunned down by six men outside his shop at Kotkapura in Faridkot on November 10. After receiving the money from Perry, Bajwa, 26, who hails from Sangrur’s Bhagwanigarh, had allegedly further deposited ₹20,000 in the account of a shooter, Manpreet Singh Manni, who was arrested along with Bhupinder Singh on November 17 from Hoshiarpur. Both are associates of Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar.
Bajwa, who is enrolled in Panjab University’s MA department of Gandhian and Peaceful Studies, befriended Perry at PU.
“Goldy Brar, Lawrence and Perry also knew each other from PU. Bajwa also came in touch with Perry at PU. Perry had asked Bajwa to transfer money to Manni. Perry is at large but will be nabbed soon,” said a senior police officer.
Perry hails from Chandigarh and according to the police, has multiple cases registered against him. His father retired from Chandigarh police, and his brother is currently serving as a constable in Punjab Police.
Sources added that the police have contacted Perry’s family and have pressed them for his surrender.
Notably, SSOC has nominated both Perry and Bajwa in the case registered on October 28 against 11 persons, including seven NRIs, for illegally supplying arms and ammunition in Punjab to hinder peace besides harbouring gangsters. Sources said that a total of 19 people have been nominated in the same FIR to date, including one Bhola, currently lodged in Faridkot jail. The FIR includes sections 153, 153-A, 212, 216, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 25 of the Arms Act.
Bajwa was staying in rented accommodation in Chandigarh’s Sector 37 here. According to the sources, police are likely to interrogate more students of PU.
Meanwhile, Bajwa was produced in a Mohali court on Monday and sent to judicial custody till December 5.