Hong Kong court rules in India's favour, orders extradition of Nabha jailbreak mastermind

In a major victory for India, a court in Hong Kong on Tuesday ruled in favour of extrition of fugitive Ramanjit Singh alias Romi, key conspirator in Nabha jailbreak case. “With coordinated efforts of Punjab Police and Indian Government, a Hong Kong Court on Tuesday ruled in favour of extrition of fugitive Ramanjit Singh alias Romi, key conspirator in Nabha Jail Break, as well as several or major crimes”, an official spokesman of Punjab government said. He said that fugitive, a big fish in drug tre, was wanted in several sensational heius crime cases, such as criminal conspiracy in maximum-security Nabha jailbreak on vember 27, 2016. 

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'Fled to Hong Kong after violating bail order conditions'

“He was arrested in June 2016 in FIR 60/16 of Police station Kotwali Nabha following recovery of weapons and fake credit cards with skimmed data of dormant accounts of different banks. He got bail in August 2016 and fled to Hong Kong after violating bail orders conditions”, he said. A cousin of hardcore criminal Ramanjit alias Rami Mashana, who is convicted in several murder cases, Romi, developed links with many seasoned criminals and terrorists in maximum-security Nabha jail where he was lodged following his arrest. Ramanjit Singh alias Romi, son of Balbir Singh, of vill Bangi Ruldu, Talwandi Sabo, PS Raman Mandi, District Bathinda, hatched conspiracy to help six hardcore criminals, including two terrorists, escape Nabha jail.

'Mand to engineer escape'

“On vember 27, 2016, 16 criminals launched an attack on jail and opened indiscriminate fire and mand to engineer escape of six most wanted criminals, including Harjinder Singh alias Vicky Gounder, Neeta Deol, Gurpreet Sekhon, Aman Dhotian and two terrorists were Harminder Mintoo and Kashmir Singh Galwdi”, he said. A detailed investigation was immediately launched, which was closely monitored by present Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta, who was n DGP Intelligence, spokesman ded. He said that during course of investigation, 32 accused were arrested by police in various highly planned operations. operations were successfully handled by AIG Counter Intelligence Gurmeet Singh Chauhan, n SP Investigation Patiala and w SP City Mohali Harvinder Virk, and a team of n CIA in-charge Patiala and w DSP Bikramjit Brar.

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Provisional arrest

extrition/surrender proceedings against Ramanjit alias Romi were initiated in year 2018 when he was arrested in Hong Kong. A team comprising AIG Counter Intelligence Gurmeet Singh Chauhan Harvinder Singh Virk, and District Attorney (Prosecution) Sanjeev Gupta went to Hong Kong to pursue case in June 2018 and secured provisional arrest of fugitive in cases registered at Kotwali Nabha. Harvinder Singh Virk prepared a strong surrender case as per legal requirements of Hong Kong and India, and personally visited Department of Justice, Hong Kong a number of times in connection with court case. 

Extrition Treaty with Hong Kong

He also successfully rebutted false allegations leveled by Romi regarding torture while in police custody by Bikramjit Brar and CIA team. supplementary evidence was also prepared by Punjab Police. It may be ted that Punjab Police me a formal request for provisional arrest under Article 10 of bilateral Extrition Treaty, signed in Hong Kong on June 28, 1997, between Government of India and Government of Hong Kong, in respect of fugitive Romi as he was wanted in several criminal cases. request cited Romi’s alleged involvement in crime of criminal conspiracy in order to promote terrorist activities in India and crimes of robbery, murder, extortion, smuggling of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, as well as supply of weapons to hardcore criminals with help of his local associates.

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A perceptible threat to national security

Underlining urgency for Romi's extrition, Punjab Police stated that during course of investigation and interrogation of or arrested persons, including Mintoo, y h found that Romi was main conspirator and facilitator, who coordinated attack on maximum-security Nabha jail by providing financial and logistical support to escapees after jailbreak. state police furr corroborated that Romi was still absconding and living in Hong Kong and indulging in criminal activities by coordinating and facilitating commission of a crime in India and was a perceptible threat to national security, and refore needed to be apprehended urgently.

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