Chandigarh, Sep 12: Punjab Police has secured the extradition of fugitive criminal Amrit Dalam alias Amritpal Singh, a key operative linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, from Moldova, marking the force’s first successful extradition from a European country, officials said.
According to police, Dalam fled India in October 2024 using a forged passport. Following a six-month-long intelligence-led international manhunt under ‘Operation Eastern Reach’, he was detained in Moldova and brought back to India by a four-member Punjab Police team on September 11.
Police said Dalam is wanted in 21 criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, offences under the Arms Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and extortion.
Punjab Police DGP Gaurav Yadav described the extradition as a major breakthrough in the fight against transnational organised crime and a significant milestone in the state's campaign against gangsters.
He said the operation was carried out through sustained surveillance and close coordination between the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab and the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), with support from central agencies and international partners.
The DGP commended the teams involved and thanked the authorities of Moldova and Azerbaijan, the Interpol wing of the CBI, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and other agencies for their cooperation in securing the extradition.
SP AGTF Bikramjit Singh Brar said the operation was part of the campaign launched by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and DGP Yadav against organised crime and gang-related killings.
He said the operation was centrally coordinated by senior AGTF and OFTEC officials and involved close cooperation with multiple agencies.
Brar said Dalam had been on the run since 2024 and was brought back from Moldova after extensive efforts by the Punjab Police.
The Hoshiarpur police team, including DSP-rank officers, has also reached the state to take custody of Dalam as he is wanted in connection with a double-murder case in the district.
“This marks the first extradition from Europe, and it is Punjab Police’s first successful extradition,” Brar said, adding that the accused has a long criminal record and is wanted in several serious cases.
The Punjab Police said it remains committed to tracking down fugitives abroad and bringing them back to India to face legal proceedings.
