Punjab Police extradites fugitive Amrit Dalam from Moldova

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Chandigarh, September 12

The Punjab Police have secured the extradition of an alleged key operative of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang from Moldova, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Saturday. Amritpal Singh, also known as Amrit Dalam, was brought to India today after being detained by Moldovan authorities earlier this year while allegedly trying to cross the border into Ukraine, he said.

Punjab Police said he is wanted in several cases, including murder, attempted murder, offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, arms and narcotics laws. Amritpal was detained on February 24 while attempting to cross the Otaci state border towards Ukraine. Punjab’s Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) subsequently began extradition proceedings.

A court in Chisinau approved his extradition to India on May 26. His appeal against the decision was rejected by the Court of Appeal Centru on 16 July, making the extradition order final.

A four-member Punjab Police team travelled to Moldova to bring him back. The team, led by Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Superintendent of Police Bikramjit Singh Brar, took Amritpal into custody at Chisinau airport on Friday.

He arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Saturday morning and is being brought back to Punjab to face legal proceedings.

Sharing details, DGP Gaurav Yadav described it as first extradition from a European country. He said the operation was part of “Operation Eastern Reach”, a six-month international investigation involving surveillance, intelligence gathering and coordination with Indian and foreign agencies.

The DGP credited the AGTF and OFTEC, along with Moldovan and Azerbaijani authorities, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation, and the ministries of home and external affairs for their cooperation.

AGTF Additional Director General of Police Promod Ban said Amritpal was wanted in at least seven murder cases.

These include the 2019 murder of Dalbir Singh in Batala; the 2024 double murder of Amrjeet Lal and Kashmiri Lal in Hoshiarpur; and several murders reported in 2025, including those of Dharamjit Singh, Kanav Mahajan, Sarabjit Singh alias Kaka, and Jasdeep Singh alias Deep Cheema.

Police said Amritpal fled India in October 2024 using a fake passport carrying the details of Gurpal, son of Hira Singh, a resident of Kurukshetra in Haryana.

His movements were tracked across several countries while he was on the run, police said. A Red Notice had also been issued against him and information about his alleged fake passport and whereabouts was shared with central agencies.

Punjab Police said the extradition was the latest success for OFTEC, which was established to track down fugitives living abroad.

Since its establishment, nine high-priority fugitives have been deported from different countries, in addition to the latest extradition, police said.

OFTEC chief Ashish Choudhary said two extradition requests made this year had resulted in successful action. The earlier case involved Amritpal Mehron, who was brought back from the United Arab Emirates.

Police said extradition proceedings are currently being pursued against 11 other fugitives based abroad.