Punjab Police have arrested Saudagar Singh, the father of Shaganpreet Singh, a former associate of late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, in connection with a shooting at the residence of singer Gulab Sidhu. Saudagar Singh was arrested from the Khanna area on Friday. Police said both Shaganpreet and his father have been named as accused in the case.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the shooting took place during the night of 12-13 September in Farwahi village in Punjab’s Barnala district. Three masked men allegedly opened fire at Gulab Sidhu’s house before fleeing the area. Sidhu was in Australia at the time, while his parents, wife and children were present at the residence.
The attackers fired six rounds, according to police. Although the incident occurred while members of Sidhu’s family were inside the house, no details of any injuries were reported in the account provided.
Barnala Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Goel confirmed Saudagar Singh’s arrest. Baljit Singh, an officer from the police’s Crime Investigation Agency, said Shaganpreet Singh is currently outside India. His father was arrested in Khanna on Friday, while investigators continue to examine his alleged role in the incident.
Police had previously arrested six people in connection with the shooting. Among them are Gurwinder Singh and Gurpiar Singh, who are suspected of being directly involved in firing at the house. Other accused individuals have allegedly provided logistical support, including arranging a vehicle and assisting through social media.
Investigators said several weapons and vehicles were recovered from those arrested. The seizures included three pistols with magazines, 10 live rounds, five spent cartridges, an Ertiga vehicle and two motorcycles without registration numbers.
Police have claimed that the shooting may have been linked to an extortion network associated with gang members based overseas. Investigators have also alleged that the accused were preparing to carry out another major criminal act. The exact nature of the alleged plan has not been disclosed in the information available, and the claims remain part of the ongoing investigation.
An audio recording also circulated on social media following the shooting. In the recording, a person identified as gangster Donny Bal was heard allegedly claiming responsibility for the attack. The audio contained allegations against Gulab Sidhu, including claims that he had used Moosewala’s name and had links with individuals associated with Moosewala’s killing.
Police have not verified the authenticity of the recording. The allegations made in the audio therefore remain unverified and are being treated as part of the investigation rather than established facts.
A case was initially registered at Barnala Sadar police station under charges relating to attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting with weapons and unlawful assembly. Extortion and organised crime provisions were subsequently added to the case as investigators examined the suspected involvement of criminal networks.
Gulab Sidhu is a well-known figure in Punjabi music and has a substantial following on social media. He was also known as a close associate of Sidhu Moosewala. His connection with the late singer has brought additional attention to the current investigation, particularly because Shaganpreet Singh has also been identified as a former associate of Moosewala.
Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead in Mansa, Punjab, on 29 May 2022. His killing became the subject of a major criminal investigation and continued to draw attention to alleged links between organised crime and sections of the Punjabi music industry.
The latest shooting has once again brought those concerns into focus. With Shaganpreet Singh currently outside India and his father in police custody, investigators are examining the alleged links between the accused, the shooting and the suspected extortion network. Police are also assessing the evidence recovered during earlier arrests and the claims made in the unverified audio recording.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the precise role of each accused person will have to be established through the legal process.
