Punjab Police secures first European extradition, brings gangster from Moldova

Punjab Police has extradited a key operative of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang from the Republic of Moldova, with Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav saying on Saturday that it is the first extradition secured by the state police from a European country.

Amritpal Singh, alias Amrit Dalam, was brought back to India after what Yadav described as a six-month international manhunt under Operation Eastern Reach.

He said, "This is the first-ever extradition secured by Punjab Police from a European country, marking a significant milestone in our fight against organised crime."

Yadav said Singh was wanted in multiple cases of murder, attempt to murder, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act and narcotic offences.

Moldovan authorities detained him on February 24 while he was trying to cross the Otaci state border into Ukraine. After that, the Punjab Police's Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell began the process to bring him to India.

The Court of Chisinau granted his extradition to India on May 26, and on July 16 an appeals court dismissed his plea against extradition.

The extradition was secured as part of Operation Eastern Reach, which Yadav said was carried out in coordination with the Anti-Gangster Task Force, OFTEC, central agencies and international partners. A four-member Punjab Police team led by Superintendent of Police, AGTF, Bikramjit Singh Brar, and comprising Inspector Pushvinder Singh, Sub-Inspector Jaspreet Singh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Varinder Kumar, was sent to Moldova to bring Singh back.

The team took him into custody at Chisinau Airport on Friday and landed at IGI Airport in New Delhi on Saturday morning, he said. The officer also thanked the Moldovan authorities, Azerbaijan authorities, the International Police Cooperation Unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs for their help in the operation.

Additional Director General of Police, AGTF, Promod Ban said Singh is wanted in the 2019 murder of Dalbir Singh in Batala, the 2024 murders of Amrjeet Lal and Kashmiri Lal in Hoshiarpur, the 2025 murder of Dharamjit Singh, alias Dharma, the 2025 murders of Kanav Mahajan and Sarabjit Singh, alias Kaka, and the 2025 murder of Jasdeep Singh, alias Deep Cheema. Ban said Amritpal had fled abroad in October 2024 using a fake passport prepared with the particulars of Haryana resident Gurpal.

He said Singh's movements were tracked across multiple countries while he was on the run, leading to a red corner notice against him.

Inspector General of Police Ashish Choudhary said that since OFTEC was set up, nine high-priority fugitives have been deported from different countries.

He said two extradition requests sent this year have succeeded, the earlier one being that of Amritpal Mehron from the UAE, and added that OFTEC is pursuing the extradition of 11 other fugitives based abroad. Punjab Police had set up OFTEC to speed up the extradition of foreign-based gangsters.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 12, 2026 11:48 IST