Latest news with #HarpreetSingh
The Print
2 days ago
- The Print
Multi-crore job scam in Jammu: DGP distributes Rs 1.53 crore recovered by police among victims
'Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat today visited Police Station Nagrota and distributed Rs 1.53 crore among victims of the Rs 2.39 crore job scam,' the spokesperson said. This breakthrough demonstrates a strong legal and administrative resolve to tackle economic offences and restore public trust, police said. Jammu, Jul 29 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat on Tuesday distributed Rs 1.53 crore recovered by police in a multi-crore job scam among the victims here, a spokesperson said. Flanked by Jammu Zone Inspector General of Police (IGP) B. S. Tuti and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Shiv Kumar Sharma, the DGP was briefed by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Joginder Singh regarding this sensational case, including the quality and swift investigation carried out by the Jammu Police team to ensure timely justice to the victims of the job scam through outstanding use of victim-centric provisions available under the new criminal laws. In a landmark action under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police successfully executed its first-ever property attachment in a high-profile job fraud case, resulting in recovery and refund of Rs 1.53 crore to the victims, the spokesperson said. 'This milestone reflects the victim-centric approach embodied in India's new criminal justice reforms,' he added. The case revolves around Harpreet Singh, a resident of Pallanwala, who posed as a lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army and defrauded multiple individuals of more than Rs 2.39 crores by falsely promising them jobs in prestigious government institutions such as Military Engineer Services (MES), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The spokesperson said that the fraud came to light when Arun Sharma, a resident of Nagrota, filed a complaint on November 6, 2024, leading to the registration of a case. The accused was immediately arrested, he added. The investigation revealed that a sale agreement was executed between Kamaljeet Kour (wife of Suriender) and the accused's mother, Paramjeet Kour, for the sale of a double-storey duplex building constructed over 8 marlas of land in Channi Bheja for Rs 2.225 crore. An amount of Rs 1,93,50,000 was received by Suriender Singh (co-accused) and his wife from Harpreet Singh through online transactions and cash. The amount paid by Harpreet Singh was the proceeds of crime collected from innocent victims in exchange for false job promises, he said. Acting on a police plea, the chief judicial magistrate passed an attachment order on January 18, 2025, which was executed by Tehsildar Bahu. A 14-day show cause notice was issued to the accused to justify the source of the funds used in the transaction failing which the property was to be auctioned. During the court proceedings, based on clinching evidence presented by the investigating officer, Kamaljeet Kour made a judicial admission that she had received Rs 1.53 crore from the accused. In a significant development, she voluntarily agreed to refund the amount, initially committing to deposit Rs 50 lakh within 7 days and the remaining Rs 1.03 crore within two months — which she did accordingly. The court ruled the attachment order shall remain in effect until the admitted amount is fully deposited. The SSP of Jammu was directed to open a dedicated account for collecting and distributing the recovered funds among the verified victims. 'In the first instance, a recovered amount of Rs 75 lakh was distributed equally among 17 victims through cheques and today, an amount of Rs 78 lakh has been distributed equally among 22 victims through cheques,' he said. Till date, a total of Rs 1.53 crore has been distributed to the victims, the spokesperson said. This marks the first instance in Jammu and Kashmir under the BNSS where defrauded money has been returned to the victims, exemplifying the law's focus on justice, accountability and restitution, he added. The IGP congratulated the Jammu Police team and urged them to maintain the same level of professionalism, commitment and public service in future. The DGP also lauded the exceptional performance of the investigating team of Police Station Nagrota led by SHO Parvez Sajad and supervisory officers — SDPO Vinod Kundal and SP Brijesh Sharma — under the leadership of SSP Joginder Singh. PTI AB AS AS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
National Post
6 days ago
- National Post
Arizona art thief who was caught 'mid-heist' is sentenced to five years
A thief who was arrested on the roof of an art gallery in Scottsdale, Ariz., has been sentenced to five years in prison for stealing seven artworks, including three Picassos and two Warhols, worth a quarter of a million dollars. Article content Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that Harpreet Singh, aged 33, pleaded guilty to one count of theft. Article content Article content 'Art heists may seem glamorous in the movies, but in Maricopa County, they end with a prison sentence instead of a dramatic getaway,' Mitchell said. 'Thanks to the quick response from Scottsdale Police and MCAO prosecutors Richelle Burch and Jonathan Hutcheson, the only art this thief will be looking at for the next few years will be whatever's etched on the walls of his cell.' Article content According to a release from the Attorney's office and police reports, the theft occurred in the early hours of Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. The owner of American Fine Art Gallery arrived and noticed several paintings missing as well as noises from the floor above, and called police. Article content Scottsdale Police arrived and found Singh's BMW parked directly below an emergency access ladder leading to the roof. Atop the gallery, they found art pieces scattered around, along with a face mask, gloves and several tools. Article content With the help of a drone, they were able to spot Singh lying on the roof of another gallery nearby, where he was arrested. He told police he was homeless and came up to the roof to sleep, and denied owning a BMW. Police found the keys for the car next to him. Article content On January 7th, officers responded to an art gallery where an alarm was activated, with a possible subject still inside. Using the drone, the suspect was located and placed under arrest by Scottsdale PD. Art valued at around $250,000 was scattered throughout the rooftops. — ScottsdalePD (@ScottsdalePD) January 11, 2024 Article content After his arrest, Singh was released on $50,000 bail and ordered to wear and ankle monitor and not to leave Arizona, but court records say the monitor was found in a trash bin on March 6. Meanwhile, Singh didn't show up for hearings in April or May, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was taken into custody again in Nevada. Article content Article content Singh has also pleaded guilty to one count of interference with monitoring devices for cutting off his ankle monitor. He was given 3.5 years of supervised probation for that offence. Article content Meanwhile, ABC News reported that Singh had been arrested less than a month earlier on a separate art theft in West Hollywood, Calif. He had been charged with breaking into the Hamilton-Selway Fine Art gallery on Dec. 22 and stealing two Warhol edition prints valued at nearly $100,000. Article content
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Time of India
Panchkula police bust heroin smuggling network operating across state borders
1 2 3 Panchkula: The police claimed to have busted a well-organised heroin smuggling network that was operating across state borders. The crime branch-19 team, headed by inspector Nirmal Singh, has so far arrested five accused, including the key mastermind, Harpreet Singh alias Billa. A case was registered under the NDPS Act along with Section 111 of the BNS, which pertains to organised crime. According to ACP crime Arvind Kamboj, the case first came to light on Feb 9 when crime branch-19 arrested Rohit, a resident of Dhakoli, Punjab, from Sector 20, Panchkula, with 9.56 grams of heroin. During interrogation, Rohit revealed the name of another member of the network, Mohan Sahu, who was subsequently arrested on March 10 from Khark Mangoli. Further questioning led to the arrest of a third accused, Santosh Gupta, also from Khark Mangoli. As the investigation progressed, a fourth accused, Prince, a resident of Amritsar, Punjab, was identified and arrested. The police were on the lookout for the prime accused, Harpreet Singh alias Billa, for a long time. On July 22, he was finally nabbed after persistent efforts by the crime branch team. He is currently in police custody on a three-day remand. Preliminary investigations reveal that this gang operated in a highly organised manner, forming a supply chain to distribute heroin in both Punjab and Haryana. Harpreet Singh is believed to be the central figure controlling the network and has three previous cases of drug trafficking registered against him in the two states. During the remand period, police are interrogating the accused to uncover further details about the network, identify additional suppliers, and conduct raids at suspected locations.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Time of India
Armyman found dead in car, family claims drug overdose; 4 arrested
Patiala: A 28-year-old Army soldier back home on leave was found dead under suspicious circumstances in a car at a sports ground in Khokhran village of Punjab's Chamkaur Sahib in Ropar district on Wednesday. The family of Kuljit Singh of Fatehgarh Viran village in Chamkaur Sahib claimed that he died of a drug overdose, leading the police to arrest four people. A total of 126 grams of narcotic powder was seized from one of them, according to cops. Kuljit left home around 4 pm on Tuesday to buy clothes from Chamkaur Sahib and did not return, according to family members. His body was found the next morning in the driver's seat of a Maruti Swift. Family members claimed that the accused, whom he knew, gave him an overdose of drugs. "I have now come to know what 'chitta' (heroin) is after I lost my son. A woman recently released by the police is still selling heroin in our area. The smugglers openly told me they have no fear of the police," said Arjan Singh, the father of the soldier. Inspector Gurpreet Singh, SHO, Chamkaur Sahib, said initial findings of post-mortem suggested that he died of a poisonous substance, probably drugs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Three of the arrested are Harpreet Singh of Tappriyan Amar Singh village, Harsimranpreet Singh of Khokhar village, and Harshdeep Singh of Behrampur Bet village. Later, Neeraj Kumar of Sherpur village in Ludhiana was apprehended with 126 grams of narcotic powder in his possession. Neeraj is already facing two cases under the NDPS Act, police said. Police claimed that the accused confessed to Kuljit taking drugs provided by them. A court sent Harpreet Singh and Neeraj Kumar to police custody for two days and the other two to judicial custody. Kuljit, who joined the Army in 2017, was posted as sepoy in Kota, Rajasthan. According to police, Kuljit's wife serves in the Punjab Police and is posted in Jalandhar. The couple has a nine-month-old son. On Wednesday, former Punjab CM and Chamkaur Sahib ex-MLA Charanjit Singh Channi visited the family of the deceased to offer condolences. He said that the govt had made significant claims about countering drugs but has failed to curb their use. Channi said the soldier died due to an alleged administering of drug overdose and accused the police of attempting to suppress the matter by attributing the death to another poisonous substance. MSID:: 122653797 413 |
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
₹2.39-cr job scam: J&K police attach accused's property, refund ₹75 lakh to 17 victims
In the first such action under the new criminal laws, the Jammu and Kashmir Police attached property in a ₹2.39-crore job scam case and distributed ₹75 lakh among 17 victims, said officials on Wednesday. Some of the victims with their refund cheques. (HT) 'In a landmark action under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Jammu Police have successfully executed its first-ever property attachment in a high-profile job fraud case, resulting in the recovery and refund of ₹75 lakh to the victims,' said Jammu SSP Joginder Singh at a press conference. 'This milestone reflects the victim-centric approach embodied in India's new criminal justice reforms,' he added. The SSP informed that the case revolved around Harpreet Singh, a resident of Pallanwala in Akhnoor, who posed as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army and cheated multiple individuals of more than ₹2.39 crore by falsely promising them jobs in prestigious government institutions, such as MES, MoD and DRDO. 'The fraud came to light when Arun Sharma, a resident of Nagrota, filed a complaint on November 6 last year, leading to the registration of an FIR at the Nagrota police station,' he said. The accused was arrested the following day. Out of funds collected from naive and gullible youth, the accused had also made digital payment of ₹1.93 crore to one Surinder Singh for purchasing a double-storey duplex building on eight marlas of land at Channi Bheja in Bahu Fort tehsil. The deal was struck at ₹2.22 crore. 'The amount paid by accused Harpreet Singh was proceeds of crime collected from innocent victims in lieu of providing them government jobs,' said the SSP. Acting on a police plea, the Jammu chief judicial magistrate passed an attachment order on January 18 this year under Section 107(5) of BNSS, which was executed by the Bahu tehsildar. 'A 14-day show cause notice was issued to the accused to justify the source of funds used in the transaction, failing which the property will be auctioned,' he said. During court proceedings, based on clinching evidence presented by the investigating officer, Kamaljeet Kour, a co-accused, made a judicial admission that she had received ₹1.53 crore from Harpreet. She voluntarily agreed to refund the amount, initially committing to deposit ₹50 lakh within seven days, and the remaining ₹1.03 crore within two months, said the SSP. The court also directed the Jammu SSP to open a dedicated account for collecting and distributing the recovered funds among the verified victims. 'Today the recovered amount of ₹75 lakh has been distributed equally among 17 victims through cheques. This marks the first instance under BNSS in J&K where defrauded money has been returned to victims, exemplifying the law's focus on justice, accountability and restitution,' he said.
