Ludhiana: In a case related to an extortion call in which a Payal-based commission agent was allegedly threatened and asked to pay Rs 1 crore, Khanna police have arrested Saudagar Singh of Fatehgarh Sahib. He is the father of Shaganpreet Singh, whose name had earlier surfaced in the murder case of youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera in 2021 and who was also allegedly a former manager of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.Police have also booked Shaganpreet Singh in the extortion case. Shaganpreet is already wanted in the Vicky Middukhera murder case and is currently at large. Police said the commission agent (arhitya) from Payal area of Khanna was recently threatened with a demand for Rs 1 crore as extortion money. The caller allegedly identified himself as gangster Doni Bal. Following the complaint, Khanna police registered a case and launched an investigation.DSP Investigation, Khanna, Mohit Singla said a few days ago, Balwinder Singh alias Doni Bal, a resident of Beas in Amritsar, made extortion calls to a trader in the Payal area, after which an FIR was registered at Payal police station. Invstigation revealed that Shaganpreet Singh, a resident of Fatehgarh Sahib, was involved in the case along with Doni Bal. The DSP said Shaganpreet is currently residing in Australia. He added that his father Saudagar Singh was also found to be involved in the case. The accused allegedly shared information about the trader with Doni Bal. Saudagar Singh has been arrested in the case. Police said a look out circular would be issued against the accused.Police sources said the extortion call was made to the trader around a week to 10 days ago and a complaint was lodged around March 25. The complainant told the police that he received several calls from a foreign number but initially did not answer. He later received a voice message from the same number.Local sources said that the voice message was from someoone who allegedly asked the commission agent to pay Rs 1 crore and warned him that he had the address of his shop in the grain market. The sender also made a veiled threat to the complainant’s children. Shaganpreet Singh’s name had earlier surfaced in the Vicky Middukhera murder case. Police sources said he was treated as a suspect or conspirator, though he denied the allegations, claiming false implication and lack of corroborative evidence.
