Chandigarh: Punjab Police has secured the extradition of an alleged key operative of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang from Moldova, marking the force’s first successful extradition of a fugitive from a European country.
The accused, identified as Amritpal Singh alias Amrit Dalam, is wanted in connection with several serious criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act violations and narcotics-related offences.
The extradition is the outcome of a six-month international operation led by Punjab Police to locate and bring back fugitives accused of involvement in organised crime. The operation, code-named Operation Eastern Reach, relied on intelligence gathering, sustained surveillance and coordination with agencies in India and abroad.
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab and the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) Punjab played a central role in tracing the accused and coordinating the extradition process. The state police also worked with central agencies and international partners during the operation.
Punjab Police acknowledged the assistance extended by authorities in Moldova and Azerbaijan, along with the IPCU-CBI, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and other agencies involved in the international cooperation.
The successful extradition is being viewed as a significant development in Punjab’s efforts to tackle transnational organised crime and pursue fugitives who attempt to evade Indian law by operating from overseas.
Punjab Police said the operation reinforces its commitment to ensuring that criminal suspects cannot escape legal proceedings by fleeing the country and that those wanted in serious cases are brought back to face the law.
