Ludhiana NRI murder case cracked; domestic help hatched conspiracy

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, July 22

An orphaned youth who had been serving the family of deceased NRI Baninderdeep Singh (42) for over 15 years at Lalton Kalan turned out to be the key conspirator behind the gruesome killing.

The key conspirator in connivance with a friend of the deceased hired four contact killers.

The Ludhiana police claimed to have cracked the murder case within 72 hours with the arrest of six accused, including a 17-year-old minor.

The arrested accused have identified as Bal Singh (28), an orphan from Madhya Pradesh living with the NRI’s family for last 15 years and was treated like a son, and Jagraj Singh alias Gaja (29) of CRPF colony, Dugri, a friend of the deceased already facing five criminal cases.

Four contract killers hired by accused Bal Singh have been identified as Jaspreet Singh alias Jassi (23) of Jagdev Nagar, Sohil Ali (22) of Mehmoodpura, Varinder alias Vicky (22) of SBS Nagar and a minor from Dugri.

Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu, Joint CP Jaskiranjit Singh Teja, DCP Crime Harmeet Hundal, Additional DCP Sameer Verma held a press conference regarding the matter.

CP Sidhu said on June 18 night, NRI Baninderdeep along with accused Bal Singh was heading home from his farm house when four assailants cornered them and brutally attacked NRI with sharp-edged weapons. The NRI died on the spot.

The assailants also inflicted minor injuries on Bal Singh to make police believe that Bal was not involved in the crime. Bal had updated the contact killers the location of the NRI while leaving the farm house.

The CP added that from the day one of the probe, servant Bal remained the prime suspect. CCTV footage of the killers was recovered and their connection with Bal Singh was established. Later during questioning, Bal confessed to have hatched the conspiracy, police said.

Although Bal was servant in the NRI’s house, he was treated like a son. The NRI was reportedly short tempered and used to abuse Bal and even his mother often which would hurt Bal and this prompted him to eliminate the NRI, police said.

He contacted Jagraj, a friend of NRI who also wanted settle score with the victim due to some property dispute. Both hired contact killers for Rs 3 lakh, of which Rs 2.70 lakh was already given, said Additional DCP Sameer Verma.

NRI was opposed to his parents promise on giving Bal Singh share in property

Deceased NRI’s parents had promised to Bal Singh that they would take him to Canada and would also give him share in the property, but NRI Baninderdeep was opposed to this. It became one of the reason behind the murder.

About four years back Bal Singh had lied to a girl, whom he wished marry, that he owns a farm house in Lalton Kalan but in reality farm house belonged to the NRI.

Deceased Baninderdeep had then exposed Bal’s lies to the girl following which his marriage proposal was rejected.