Amritpal Singh, who is believed to have worked as the chief hitman for gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuri, was extradited to India after being arrested in Moldova whilst attempting to enter Ukraine, according to daijiworld.com.
According to the Punjab police, Amritpal Singh fled India in the last week of October 2024 using a forged passport issued in Chandigarh in the name of Gurpal Singh. He first travelled to the United Arab Emirates, then passed through several countries before eventually reaching Moldova.
The Moldovan authorities detained him on 24 February 2026 whilst he was attempting to cross the state border at the Otach checkpoint to enter Ukraine. Following his detention, the Punjab State Police and central authorities initiated extradition proceedings.
Information regarding his whereabouts and details of his forged passport were forwarded to the central authorities; on the basis of this information, the process of issuing an Interpol ‘Red Corner Notice’ was initiated, which was subsequently issued.
The Punjab Police described this extradition as a significant achievement, as it was the first time a detainee had been handed over by a European country at the request of that agency.
The legal proceedings following his arrest continued for several months. On 26 May 2026, the court authorised his extradition to India. Amritpal Singh appealed against this decision; however, on 16 July 2026, the Centru Sector Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, making the extradition order final.
Once the legal obstacles had been removed, a four-member team of Punjab police officers arrived in Moldova to take custody of the accused. On 11 September, police officers took Amritpal Singh into custody at Chisinau Airport and transported him to India. The accused and the police team arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on 12 September.
The gangster’s ‘criminal record’
According to Punjab police, 21 criminal cases have been filed against Amritpal Singh in the state. The charges include offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), offences relating to explosives, murder, offences under the Arms Act, the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, extortion, offences under the Passport Act, as well as other provisions of the ‘Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’ (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita).
Police reports list five murder cases, nine cases relating to breaches of the Arms Act, one case of drug trafficking (NDPS) and one case concerning the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and explosives. Of these 21 cases, 17 are under investigation and four are at the trial stage.
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