Even as fugitive Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh continues to be on the run, his close aide Papalpreet Singh was nabbed in the Amritsar district on Monday.
Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Punjab Police Inspector General (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said, “He (Papalpreet) is the main associate of Amritpal Singh. He has been arrested from Kathunangal area in Amritsar.”
Papalpreet has been detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) and six other cases have also been registered against him, the IG said.
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 religious congregation) in a village in Hoshiarpur. 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
Who is Papalpreet Singh?
Considered to be Amritpal’s mentor, Papalpreet has allegedly been in contact with Pakistan’s ISI. He was earlier arrested for his alleged links to Pakistan’s ISI in 2015.
Both Papalpreet and Amritpal reportedly 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. A picture of them looking relaxed and Amritpal holding a beverage can was also seen.
Papalpreet Singh used to call himself a journalist before ending up as a media advisor to the radical preacher.
A resident of the Amritsar district, Papalpreet, is an active member of the Waris Punjab De outfit headed by Amritpal.
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, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.
We Fled to Escape Police Torture, Says Papalpreet: Intel Sources
Papalpreet Singh says they went on the run to escape police torture, top intelligence sources have told CNN-News18.
According to them, Papalpreet says he is not in touch with Amritpal right now, adding that they separated after media reports of authorities following and tracking them.
They were allegedly in touch with a foreign handler also, said the sources.
The duo went to Pilibhit and came back to Punjab, they added. According to them, Papalpreet says Amritpal is also in Punjab but doesn’t know the location.
The fugitive Khalistani separatist was completely dependent on Papalpreet since their escape, said the sources.
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.
(with inputs from PTI, IANS)
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