AMRITSAR / TORONTO (TIP): Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa has around 20 criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, firing and NDPS Act, registered against him. He originally hails from Harike in Tarn Taran district. Despite the fact that he was facing a number of criminal cases, he managed to escape to foreign shores a couple of years ago, thereby raising a question mark on the intelligence. The Punjab Police have started procedure for his extradition and opening of red corner circular against him. A senior police official said gangsters, including Landa, who had escaped to foreign shores had become a headache for the Punjab Police. They have been running an extortion racket in association with their accomplices. As they contact each other through social media it is not easy to nail them. Though Tarn Taran police had registered only one FIR, there has been several complaints against him in which he extorted huge amounts while threatening traders, colonizers, doctors, hospital owners and other rich people in the region as ransom.

His name also figured during the interrogation of gangster Daya Singh, aka Preet Sekhon, who was nabbed in a joint operation by Amritsar rural police and Organized Crime Control Unit (OCCU) in July last year.

He along with his aide Jarmanjit Singh, alias Nikka Khaduria, of Chamba Khurd village in Tarn Taran, was nabbed in Chamiari village of Ajnala. The police seized five country-made pistols, double barrel rifle and three mobile phones and a car from them. They also arrested Gurlal Singh of Kamalpur village in Tarn Taran for sheltering him. During his probe, it was found that Preet Sekhon at the behest of Landa had extorted amounts to the tune of several crores from at least 25 persons which were deposited in a foreign bank account of an international-level Hawala operator. Ironically, victims prefer not to lodge a complaint fearing for their lives, police sources said. Landa’s name was also figured as a key conspirator in the killing of two Akali workers in Patti last year. Immediate after the incident, Tarn Taran police wrote to the Central Government for issuing red corner circular against him. Gulneet Singh Khuranna, SSP, Tarn Taran, said they had urged our higher officials for taking up the matter with the Central Government for speeding up the process of opening red corner circular against him for his extradition. Besides Landa, the police have also received a complaint against another fugitive gangster, Arsh Dhalla, for demanding ransom, he said.