Assam: Fugitive Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh's close aide Papalpreet Singh in the wee hours of Tuesday was brought to Amritsar airport from where he flew to Assam. Recently, Punjab police with Papalpreet Singh reached the Dibrugarh jail. Papalpreet Singh on Monday was nabbed in the Amritsar district and detained under the National Security Act, he will be lodged in a high-security Dibrugarh jail in Assam. With this, six other cases have also been registered against him. According to Punjab police, Papalpreet Singh is the main associate of Amritpal Singh. Eight of Amritpal Singh's close aids have been already shifted to Dibrugarh jail as per PTI and have been booked under NSA. The list includes Amritpal Singh's uncle Harjeet Singh, gangman Varinder Johal, Gorkha Baba and more.
Papalpreet Singh was arrested in a Punjab Police operation
Earlier, officials said Papalpreet was arrested in a Punjab Police operation that also involved its counter-intelligence wing. They also said that he was arrested in Hoshiarpur. Papalpreet is considered to be Amritpal's mentor and has allegedly been in contact with Pakistan's ISI.
The police had been conducting searches at many places, including Hoshiarpur, to nab the duo who had been hoodwinking the security men since March 18 when police had launched a crackdown against the Khalistan sympathiser and his aides. Papalpreet's arrest comes days after a CCTV footage made the rounds on social media in which he could be seen at a 'dera' (place for the religious congregation) in a village in Hoshiarpur.
Police had launched a massive search operation
The footage is said to be of March 29, a day after a team of the counter-intelligence wing chased an Innova car from Phagwara to Hoshiarpur after the police suspected that the fugitive and his aides could be in that vehicle. The 'dera', seen in the footage, is in village Tanauli which is located just two to three kilometers away from Marnaian village in Hoshiarpur where the police had launched a massive search operation in search of the suspects.
It is believed that both Papalpreet and Amritpal could have separated in Hoshiarpur following the police chase of their vehicle. Many pictures of the duo had surfaced on social media. In one such footage, both of them could be seen wearing masks while roaming around a street in Delhi.
Khalistan sympathiser escaped the police net in Jalandhar district
A picture of them looking relaxed and Amritpal holding a beverage can was also seen. The Khalistan sympathiser escaped the police net in Jalandhar district on March 18, switching vehicles and changing appearances. He and his associates have been booked under several criminal cases related to spreading disharmony among classes, attempting to murder, attacks on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.
(with inputs from PTI)
ALSO READ | Amritpal Singh's close aide Papalpreet arrested from Punjab
ALSO READ | Amritpal Singh manhunt: Punjab Police recovers toy drone on outskirts of Amritsar
