Punjab cop, who targeted NRIs in US, held in extortion bid linked to AAP worker murder

JALANDHAR: Punjab Police have arrested inspector Gurinderjit Singh Nagra , former Tanda police station SHO, who has been accused by the US justice dept of being part of an international extortion racket that targeted an Indian-origin family in the US.An FIR was registered at the same station that Nagra once headed. Facing charges of extortion and offences under the anti-corruption Act, he was produced in a Dasuya court Saturday and sent to police custody for 3 days.The justice dept said on July 7 that the US was pursuing Nagra’s extradition to face trial on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion and obstructing foreign commerce. The US indictment, part of Operation Hard Ball, against gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria says one of his associates threatened a victim and then provided the victim’s name to a “corrupt law enforcement officer” in Punjab, who then falsely accused the victim, his father and his sister of a Jan murder in India and extorted Rs 16 lakh from them. The indictment named Nagra.Rs 3.8cr alleged extortion bid linked to murder of AAP workerDIG (Jalandhar range) Naveen Singla said Nagra was immediately relieved as SHO after the serious allegations.“Investigation of the murder case was entrusted to an IPS officer posted outside Hoshiarpur district. Sufficient evidence has come on record linking inspector Gurinderjit Nagra with extortion and illegal gratification from a USbased family,” he said.“Investigation has so far revealed Nagra was involved in extorting and accepting Rs 16 lakh as illegal gratification from the US-based family,” he said, adding he was named as an accused in the same murder FIR, registered on Jan 16 at Tanda police station under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and BNS after enough evidence was gathered.Nagra has been suspended and departmental proceedings have been initiated against him. The case in which Nagra is alleged to have attempted extortion of $400,000 (around Rs 3.8 crore) from a US-based family pertained to the murder of AAP worker Balwinder Singh in Miani village on Jan 15. The indictment against Bhagwanpuria’s associate Gurlal Singh alleged Nagra threatened to implicate the victims in the murder case unless they paid up.Get the latest City News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chandigarh | Silver Rate in Chandigarh | Bank Holidays in Chandigarh | Public Holidays in Chandigarh | Chandigarh AQI | Weather in Chandigarh | Petrol Price in Chandigarh | Diesel Price in Chandigarh | CNG Price in Chandigarh | LPG Price in ChandigarhStay updated with the latest Chandigarh news. Download the TOI App.