Nabha jailbreak mastermind Ramanjit Singh 'Romi' extradited from Hong Kong, arrested on landing in Delhi
Tribune News Service
Patiala, August 22
The mastermind behind the 2016 Nabha jailbreak Ramanjit Singh was arrested on Thursday after his extradition by authorities in Hong Kong in an operation coordinated by the CBI and the Punjab Police, officials said.
Singh, also known as Romi, who was facing an INTERPOL Red Notice, was flown in by a Punjab Police team and arrested on arrival in Delhi, they said.
The officials said Romi, 29, was the key conspirator in the Nabha jailbreak incident in which six hardcore criminals, including two terrorists, managed to escape.
The extradition proceedings against Romi, a resident of Bangi Ruldu village of Bathinda, were initiated in 2018. He had been residing at Kowloon in Hong Kong.
“The Global Operations Centre of Central Bureau of Investigation has coordinated with Punjab Police and INTERPOL NCB- Hong Kong for the return of a Red Notice Subject Ramanjit Singh from Hong Kong to India on August 22,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
He said the CBI got a Red Notice issued against Singh from the INTERPOL General Secretariat on March 22, 2017, at the request of the Punjab Police.
“The subject was geolocated in Hong Kong in 2018 through INTERPOL and location was informed to Punjab police. A provisional arrest request was transmitted through INTERPOL in 2018. Subsequently Extradition request was forwarded by Punjab Police. The subject has been returned to India on August 22,” the statement said.
Senior officials said Romi was the ‘communication link’ between Punjab gangsters and ISI-backed Pakistan-based terrorists. He was working through WhatsApp and VoIP platforms.
Romi will be brought to Punjab where he will be questioned in Patiala by multiple agencies, they added.
Earlier in the day, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav announced on 'X' that Ramanjit Singh has been extradited to India.
“After tireless efforts by @PunjabPoliceInd, Romy, the key conspirator, is being brought back today to face justice. He was in touch with #ISI and other escaped prisoners, including Harminder Singh Mintu and Kashmir Singh Galwaddi of the Khalistan Liberation Force (#KLF),” he said in a post.
“Anti Gangster Task Force (#AGTF) Punjab is en route to bring Romy back. We thank the Hong Kong authorities, the CBI, Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and all other central agencies as part of this international cooperation,” he added.
Mastermind of 2016 Nabha Jailbreak, Ramanjit Singh @ Romy, Extradited to #India from #HongKong!
After tireless efforts by @PunjabPoliceInd, Romy, the key conspirator, is being brought back today to face justice. He was in touch with #ISI and other escaped prisoners, including… pic.twitter.com/h6kNx57kHG
— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) August 22, 2024
“Our relentless pursuit of justice led to: 1. Issuance of Look Out Circular (LOC) & Red Corner Notice (RCN) 2. Extradition process initiated in 2018 under MLAT with Hong Kong government 3. Robust presentation to Hong Kong's Department of Justice and Hon'ble Courts,” Yadav said.
Romi was being lodged at the Hong Kong's high-security Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre since his arrest in February 2018.
He was among five men charged over a robbery in which more than 450 million Japanese yen (HK$32 million) was stolen in Tsim Sha Tsui on February 9. The money was later recovered.
Sources said that Romi was on court bail after being charged over another robbery in Hung Hom in March 2017, involving HK$3.2 million. — with PTI
