Punjab Police deport 3 Bambiha gang operatives from Malaysia in ISI-linked cases
Synopsis
Punjab Police's OFTEC has deported three Bambiha gang operatives from Malaysia — wanted in murder, extortion, and an alleged ISI-linked grenade plot in Ludhiana. Coming weeks after another deportation from Indonesia, this signals a sustained, cross-border crackdown on Punjab's most dangerous transnational crime network.
Key Takeaways
Punjab Police secured the deportation of three Bambiha gang operatives from Malaysia on 19 August .
The deportees — Jaspreet Singh (alias Jas Behbal), Ajay Singh , and Pawandeep Singh — are wanted in murder, extortion, explosives, and an alleged planned grenade blast in Ludhiana with reported ISI links .
All three were arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi upon arrival and are being brought to Punjab for investigation.
Last month, Punjab Police also deported fugitive gangster Jobanjit Singh (alias Joban Billa) from Jakarta, Indonesia , where he was detained on 20 July .
The operations were conducted by OFTEC under the Counter Intelligence Wing, in coordination with central agencies.
Three wanted operatives of the Davinder Bambiha gang have been deported from Malaysia to India following a coordinated operation by the Punjab Police's Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), part of its Counter Intelligence Wing, with support from central agencies, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav announced on Wednesday, 19 August. The trio is wanted in multiple serious criminal cases, including murder, extortion, explosives offences, and an alleged planned hand-grenade attack in Ludhiana with reported links to Pakistan's ISI.
Who Was Deported
The three deportees have been identified as Jaspreet Singh (alias Jas Behbal), Ajay Singh, and Pawandeep Singh. All three were arrested upon landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi and are being transferred to Punjab for further investigation and legal proceedings.
What the DGP Said
DGP Gaurav Yadav, in a post on X, confirmed the deportation and underscored the state force's resolve against transnational crime networks. 'No matter where the fugitives hide, we will track them down and bring them to justice,' he stated. He added that Punjab Police remained relentless in dismantling organised crime syndicates operating across borders.
A Pattern of Overseas Fugitive Recoveries
This deportation follows a similar operation last month, when Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), working alongside OFTEC and central agencies, secured the return of fugitive gangster Jobanjit Singh (alias Joban Billa) from Jakarta, Indonesia. Joban Billa had been detained in Indonesia on 20 July and subsequently deported to India, where he was taken into custody at Mumbai airport.
According to police, Joban Billa had fled India on 9 January 2025 using a passport prepared on fake particulars of a Gorakhpur resident — a document issued from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on 8 March 2024. He had evaded arrest by moving through multiple countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Georgia, before reaching Indonesia. He was wanted in cases involving murder, attempt to murder, and offences under the NDPS Act and Arms Act.
Significance of the Operation
The Bambiha gang has long been flagged by Punjab Police as one of the state's most dangerous transnational criminal networks, with alleged operational links to Pakistan-based handlers. The back-to-back deportations — from Malaysia and Indonesia within weeks — signal a sharper coordination between state police, central intelligence units, and foreign law enforcement channels. Notably, this is part of a broader push by Punjab Police to neutralise gang networks that have shifted operations abroad to evade Indian jurisdiction.
With the three new deportees now in custody, investigators are expected to pursue leads related to the alleged ISI connection and the planned Ludhiana grenade attack, which could open new lines of inquiry into cross-border terror-crime nexus.
Point of View
Indonesia last month — are not coincidental. They reflect a deliberate operational tempo by Punjab Police's OFTEC, which has quietly become one of India's more effective state-level fugitive-recovery units. What warrants scrutiny is the ISI angle: if the Ludhiana grenade plot indeed has cross-border intelligence backing, this is no longer just a gangster story — it is a national security matter that deserves central oversight commensurate with its scale. The use of fraudulent passports, multi-country evasion routes, and foreign safe havens also points to a support ecosystem that individual deportations alone will not dismantle.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the three Bambiha gang operatives deported from Malaysia?
The three deportees are Jaspreet Singh (alias Jas Behbal), Ajay Singh , and Pawandeep Singh , all linked to the Davinder Bambiha gang. They were arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi upon arrival and are being taken to Punjab for further investigation.
What cases are the deported Bambiha gang operatives wanted in?
The three are wanted in multiple cases involving murder, extortion, explosives offences, and an alleged planned hand-grenade blast in Ludhiana. Their cases reportedly carry links to Pakistan's ISI, according to Punjab Police.
Which Punjab Police unit carried out the deportation?
The operation was conducted by the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), part of Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence Wing, with assistance from central agencies. DGP Gaurav Yadav confirmed the development in a post on X.
Has Punjab Police deported other gangsters recently?
Yes. Last month, Punjab Police secured the deportation of fugitive gangster Jobanjit Singh (alias Joban Billa) from Jakarta, Indonesia, where he was detained on 20 July. He was wanted in murder, NDPS Act, and Arms Act cases and had fled India on 9 January 2025 using a fraudulent passport.
What is the Davinder Bambiha gang?
The Davinder Bambiha gang is one of Punjab's most notorious transnational criminal networks, with alleged links to Pakistan-based handlers. The gang has been implicated in murders, extortion, and terror-linked activities across Punjab, and its operatives have reportedly used foreign countries as bases to evade Indian law enforcement.
