Punjab Police on Tuesday said eight persons have been arrested for providing logistic support, conducting recce and harbouring the shooters of Punjabi Singer Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead on 29 May.

Those arrested have been identified as Sandeep Singh alias Kekda of Sirsa, Haryana, Manpreet Singh alias Manna of Talwandi Sabo Bathinda, Manpreet Bhau of Dhaipai in Faridkot, Saraj Mintu of village Dode Kalsia in Amritsar, Prabhdeep Sidhu alias Pabbi of Takhat-Mall in Haryana, Monu Dagar of village Rewli in Sonipat, Haryana, Pawan Bishnoi and Naseeb, both residents of Fatehabad, Haryana. The Police have also identified four shooters involved in the crime.

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Divulging the roles of the arrested persons, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anti-Gangster Task Force Parmod Ban on Tuesday said Kekda, on the directions of Goldy Brar and Sachin Thapan, had kept tab on the singer’s movements by impersonating himself as his fan. Kekda also clicked selfies with the singer, when the latter was leaving from his home minutes before his murder, he added.

“Kekda had shared all the inputs like the singer was not accompanied by his security personnel, number of occupants, vehicle details and he was travelling in non-bullet-proof vehicle Mahindra Thar, with the shooters and handlers operating from abroad,” ADGP Ban said.

He said Manpreet Manna had provided a Toyota Corolla car to Manpreet Bahu, who further delivered the car to two persons suspected to be the shooters, on the directions of Saraj Mintu, who is a close aide of Goldy Brar and Sachin Thapan.

Goldy Brar is an associate of one of Punjab’s most infamous gangsters, Lawrence Bishnoi. A total of 16 criminal cases are registered against Goldy in Punjab, while there are four cases in which he has been acquitted.

The Canada-based gangster had earlier claimed responsibility for Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Waala’s murder. The singer was gunned down in Jawaharke village of Mansa district on 29 May.

The ADGP said that the fifth accused Prabhdeep Sidhu alias Pabbi had provided shelter to two associates of Goldy Brar, who came from Haryana in January, 2022, and also got conducted recce of Sidhu Moosewala’s home and surrounding areas through them, while Monu Dagar had provided two shooters and helped assemble the team of shooters to carry out this murder the directions of Goldy Brar.

He said that Pawan Bishnoi and Naseeb had handed-over Balero vehicle to shooters and also provided them hideout.

Meanwhile, ADGP Parmod Ban said that the Special Investigation Team headed by IGP PAP Jaskaran Singh has been working strategically and cohesive efforts are being made to arrest the identified shooters and other accused persons involved in the crime.

Moosewala, who left his house in Moosa village of Mansa district  at around 4.30 p.m. on 29 May along with two persons- Gurwinder Singh (neighbour) and Gurpreet Singh (cousin), was shot dead by some unidentified persons. He was driving his Mahindra Thar Vehicle.