Hoshiarpur, July 18 (H.S.): Punjab Police has arrested Inspector Gurinderjit Singh Nagra, the former Station House Officer (SHO) of Tanda police station in Hoshiarpur, in connection with an international extortion case. Nagra was earlier named by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in February this year during its investigation into a transnational organised crime network.

The FBI had alleged that Nagra was linked to a conspiracy to extort 400,000 US dollars from an Indian-origin family living in the United States. According to the agency, he allegedly acted in connivance with members of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gangs in carrying out the extortion plot.

Following the allegations, the then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Hoshiarpur, transferred Nagra to the Police Lines with immediate effect.

Punjab Police said that the investigation has so far revealed that Inspector Gurinderjit Singh Nagra was involved in demanding and accepting Rs 16 lakh as illegal gratification from the US-based family. After collecting sufficient evidence, he was nominated as an accused in an FIR registered at Tanda police station, Hoshiarpur, under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

On Saturday Office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jalandhar Range, Jalandhar said Gurinderjit Singh Nagra has been arrested and will be produced before the competent court, where his police remand will be sought to further investigate the larger conspiracy and identify the involvement of other accused.

Considering the seriousness of the case, the Punjab Police has placed Inspector Nagra under suspension and initiated departmental proceedings against him.

The arrest comes a day after the FBI arrested India-linked gangster Nitish Kaushal alias Lala, just two days after placing him on its Most Wanted list. The arrest was made as part of the FBI's Operation Hard Ball.

According to a 44-page federal indictment unsealed in a Los Angeles court, members of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang allegedly accepted as little as Rs 20,000 to carry out contract killings in parts of India. The indictment also alleged that Nagra, while serving as SHO of Tanda police station, conspired with the gang to extort 400,000 US dollars from a Los Angeles-based Indian-origin family by threatening to implicate their relatives in Punjab in false criminal cases.

The FBI further alleged that the transnational crime syndicate was involved in murder-for-hire, extortion, narcotics trafficking, illegal firearms offences, kidnappings and other organised crimes, operating across India, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Investigators said more than 24 suspects have been arrested so far. Raids conducted during the investigation led to the seizure of around 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, 1 kilogram of heroin, firearms and cash, while several suspects are still absconding.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH