Ludhiana: In a significant breakthrough, the Machhiwara police have arrested a key accused involved in a Rs 5-crore extortion conspiracy targeting an educational institution’s trustee. The suspect, who had allegedly fled to the United States via an illegal “donkey route,” was apprehended at the Delhi Airport recently following his deportation from the U.S. and the issuance of a look-out circular (LOC) by Punjab Police.The accused, identified as Kamalpreet Singh, alias Billa, of Kotla in Amritsar, was wanted for his role in the September 30, 2024, attack. On that day, miscreants fired upon Baldev Singh, a trustee of a private school, while he was travelling in his Fortuner from Machhiwara to Chandigarh. The assault occurred near the Garhi bridge on the Sirhind canal, approximately 3 km from the school, leaving the victim injured.Providing details, SHO Machhiwara, sub-inspector Pavittar Singh, stated that Kamalpreet was a vital link in the conspiracy, allegedly assisting local criminals from abroad to orchestrate the ransom demand. Following his arrest at the Delhi Airport on March 24, he was brought to Machhiwara on a two-day police remand. Investigators are currently interrogating him to determine his specific role and identify other associates involved in the syndicate.The police investigation has already led to the registration of a case against five suspects, including Gurpreet Singh of village Mohawa and Preetpal Singh Gora of Attari, who were previously arrested. Sources revealed that the attack was a “supari” (contract) hit executed at the behest of foreign-based gangsters. Based on earlier interrogations, three additional names were added to the FIR. Authorities confirmed that the firing was a deliberate attempt to terrorize the complainant into paying the multi-crore ransom.‘Orchestrated Terror for Ransom’The SHO confirmed that the accused persons demanded a ransom worth crores during the initial stages of the plot. He suggested that the suspects specifically “orchestrated” the violent firing on the complainant to demonstrate their lethal capability and force the extortion payment.
