New Delhi: The Punjab Police has arrested a man suspected to have allegedly provided logistical support to the assailants who killed singer-turned-Congress leader Sidhu Moose Wala Sunday evening, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources in the Punjab Police said the man, identified as Manpreet Singh, a native of Faridkot, was arrested after initial questioning. Two others, who are in jail in Punjab, have also been taken into remand by the police for interrogation.
“We have arrested one person. Two others have been taken in remand. We suspect they had a role in the conspiracy to kill Moose Wala,” a senior police officer told ThePrint.
The 28-year-old singer was shot dead around 6 pm Sunday evening, a day after his security was partially withdrawn by the Punjab government.
Sources in the police also said they were trying to locate the person who gave the “tip off” on Moose Wala Sunday evening.
“The information that Moose Wala was travelling without his security and didn’t go in his bullet proof vehicle was leaked to the assailants. It’s all part of the conspiracy. We are verifying all claims, including those on social media,” a source said.
The source also said, “Those taken in remand have been serving jail time in cases of heinous offense.”
In a joint operation conducted with the Uttarakhand Police, the Punjab Police had Monday detained five people in connection with the murder.
Bullets sent for ballistics examination
An FIR was registered Monday on the basis of a complaint filed by Moose Wala’s father, Balkar Singh Sindhu, under IPC sections for murder, attempt to murder, and the Arms Act.
Meanwhile, bullets recovered from the spot of the crime have been sent for ballistics examination.
The deceased singer’s funeral at his village Moosa in Punjab’s Mansa district Tuesday witnessed a massive gathering.
Punjab police has maintained that the Moose Wala’s murder appears to be a case of ‘inter-gang rivalry’. Canada-based Goldy Brar, an associate of Punjab’s Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has purportedly claimed responsibility.
In Facebook post purportedly belonging to Brar, he has said that the murder was to avenge the killings of his cousin Gurlal Brar and an Akali leader called Vikramjit Singh ‘Vicky’ Middukhera. They suspected that Moose Wala aided members of the Bambiha gang to carry out these murders.
ThePrint had earlier reported that the Bishnoi gang had been planning to eliminate Moose Wala for at least six months and had even given a contract to a sharpshooter and a wanted gangster named Shahrukh to carry out the task. But Shahrukh was unable to carry out the shooting as Moose Wala had round-the-clock bodyguards.
The Delhi Police’s Special Cell is now interrogating Bishnoi, Shahrukh, and two others named Kala Jathedi and Kala Rana.
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