NEW DELHI: Three alleged Bambiha gang members wanted in several criminal cases, including a foiled grenade attack plot in Ludhiana, have been deported from Malaysia to India and taken into police custody, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Monday (Aug 24).
The ministry said Indian agencies had secured the apprehension and deportation of Jaspreet Singh, Ajay Singh and Pawandeep Singh, who were wanted in India and had been staying in Malaysia.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the three were linked to the Bambiha gang and accused of involvement in multiple crimes, including extortion, cross-border arms and narcotics trafficking and a foiled grenade attack in Ludhiana.
The three have now been placed in police custody, allowing investigators to question them about their alleged criminal activities, overseas contacts and associates in India.
The alleged Ludhiana grenade attack plot is among the cases being linked to the three men. Investigators are expected to examine their suspected roles and establish whether other people were involved in the planning or execution of the plot.
The questioning could also focus on the alleged movement of weapons and narcotics across the border and how the accused maintained contact with criminal networks while living abroad.
The Home Ministry said the deportation was carried out with the assistance of Malaysian authorities.
It did not provide details of when the three were arrested or the specific legal process through which they were deported.
The ministry also gave a figure for the wider crackdown on wanted criminals living overseas.
“Under Modi Ji’s vision of a safe and secure India, our agencies have facilitated the deportation of 51 hardened criminals in 2026 alone,” it said in its X post.
The ministry’s statement did not provide a country-wise break-up of those deportations or details of the cases involving the other 48 criminals.
The return of the three suspects comes as Indian agencies continue to investigate criminal networks with alleged overseas links.
Punjab has been a particular focus of such investigations, with police and central agencies probing cases involving extortion, weapons, narcotics and violent attacks.
The three suspects are now expected to face further questioning and legal proceedings in the cases registered against them in India. - The Statesman/ANN
