In a major breakthrough against cross-border organised crime amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police, with the active support of central agencies, has successfully arrested fugitive Bhuvnesh Chopra alias Ashish, after deporting him from a Central Asian Country, to face charges in numerous heinous crimes, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Thursday.
Pertinently, constituted on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the newly-established Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) working under Internal Security wing has played a pivotal role in this operation.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that to track and restrict international movements of accused Bhuvnesh Chopra, a Red Notice (Red Corner Notice) and Look-Out Circular (LoC) were issued.
“Sustained international coordination eventually traced his location to a Central Asian country, following which he (Bhuvnesh) was deported and arrested upon arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi,” he said.
As per the information, accused Bhuvnesh Chopra, a resident of Ferozepur, was a key figure wanted in connection with high-profile crimes, including the sensational Ferozepur triple murder and multiple narcotics trafficking cases. The accused has been facing at least nine first information reports (FIRs) in districts including Ferozepur, Fazilka and Patiala.
The DGP said that accused Bhuvnesh Chopra alias Ashish was a major facilitator of narcotics smuggling from Pakistan into Punjab and had managed to escape abroad to evade law.
He said that beyond drug trafficking, Chopra has also been the prime conspirator behind the August 2024 triple murder in Ferozepur, in which a young girl and two others lost their lives following a rivalry between Chopra and one of the victims, Dildeep Singh.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that Chopra’s arrest is expected to significantly disrupt the logistics network of drug consignments entering Ferozepur and neighbouring border districts of Punjab, dealing a major blow to cross-border narcotics trafficking operations.
