Punjab AAP chief and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora said the first extradition of a gangster from Europe has demonstrated the Bhagwant Mann government’s firm approach towards organised crime. He said the state government and Punjab Police were pursuing fugitives across borders to prevent criminals from operating in Punjab or directing illegal activities from abroad.
OFTEC tracks fugitives across borders
Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Arora said the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), established on January 20, 2026, had brought back 10 wanted fugitives through deportation or extradition in seven months. Another 21 extradition proposals are pending with the Central Government.
Arora contrasted the government’s approach with earlier Akali-BJP and Congress regimes, during which, he alleged, gangsterism had grown. Referring to the 2021 Budget Session, he said political leaders had publicly traded allegations over alleged links between politicians and gangsters.
He said intensified police action had pushed several fugitives and hardcore criminals abroad. OFTEC works with the State Investigation, Bureau of Investigation, CBI, Interpol, Ministry of Home Affairs, local police, Ministry of External Affairs and the National Investigation Agency to identify, trace and bring back wanted persons.
Among those returned is gangster Amritpal Singh alias Amrit Dalam, who faces three serious cases and was brought back from Moldova. Arora also cited cases involving wanted criminals returned from Malaysia, Indonesia, the UAE and the US.
Centre-state coordination sought
Arora said preventing crime in Punjab was the state government’s responsibility, while the Centre also had a role in tackling criminal networks operating from outside the state. He appealed to the Central Government, BJP-ruled states and the Akali Dal to act against gangsters operating from jails or safe havens.
He said such networks could operate nationally and internationally. He stressed that changing organised crime required stronger coordination among agencies.
Arora also pointed to the growing use of encrypted messages and voice calls by criminals, saying these could not be effectively tracked by state police alone. He called for a national-level campaign involving central agencies to counter technology-enabled organised crime.
He congratulated Punjab Police on bringing the Moldova-based gangster back to India. He urged citizens to inform local police about any criminal incident, attempted crime or extortion call.
Arora said the Mann government and Punjab Police would continue uncompromising action against gangsters and would not allow such elements to disturb Punjab’s peace, security and harmony. He added that Punjab Police remained committed to protecting the state.
