Amritsar: Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh’s close aide Papalpreet Singh was on Monday arrested by the Punjab police. Addressing a media briefing, Punjab police spokesperson IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said Papalpreet was arrested from Kathunangal area in Amritsar. The IGP said he has been booked under NSA and six other cases. Gill, however, did not reveal any further details about the arrest. Amritpal and Papalpreet had been on the run since March 18 when the Punjab Police launched a crackdown against the Khalistan sympathiser and his aides. They were together after their dramatic escape from a police chase in Jalandhar. They had reportedly taken different routes to escape after reaching Hoshiarpur.
Papalpreet is considered to be Amritpal’s mentor and has allegedly been in contact with Pakistan’s ISI. Amritpal 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, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.
Earlier in the day, Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav said police will nab whosoever is wanted by the law and it is better that such people submit to the law. Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh’s close aide Papalpreet Singh has been arrested on Monday. Papalpreet Singh has been with the radical Sikh leader as he escaped the police dragnet on March 18 when Punjab Police launched a massive crackdown on Waris Punjab De. Amritpal and Papalpreet travelled together, changing vehicles, as they escaped the chase by the police. From Punjab, they fled to Haryana and probably to Delhi, as captured in CCTV footage, before they entered Punjab again.
The Punjab Police increased its vigil across Punjab ahead of Baisakhi celebrations and rumours that Amritpal Singh was about to surrender. Papalpreet’s arrest brings the police closer to Amritpal Singh who is believed to be hiding in Punjab. Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav visited Golden Temple on Monday and said the police will nab whosoever is wanted by the law and it is better that such people submit to the law. Amid reports that Amritpal might have taken shelter at a religious place, the director general of police said religious places should not be used for personal reasons. “Religious places should not be misused,” he noted.
Papalpreet Singh is believed to be the most trusted aide of Amritpal Singh with ISI links. He mentored Amritpal as he took over the reins of Waris Punjab De after Deep Sidhu’s death. Papalpreet was believed to be the mastermind of their escape. Papalpreet has been advising Amritpal on various issues. The first photos of Papalpreet were seen him driving a motorcycle with Amritpal riding pillion as they managed to escape. Papalpreet Singh was taking instructions from the ISI to raise the bogey of Khalistan in Punjab, officials said. It was on Papalpreet’s instruction that Amritpal changed his appearance during their escape.
Papalpreet faces four criminal cases, including one under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and one for the Ajnala police station incident. Papalpreet was served an income tax notice to explain the source of ₹4.48 lakh credited into his account. The Income Tax notice was recovered from the house of Baljeet Kaur at Shahabad in Kurukshetra in Haryana where Papalpreet and Amritpal had taken shelter on March 19 and 20 before fleeing from there after changing their looks and leaving behind the sacred “Shri Sahib”, reports said.