Hours after landing, US deportee from Ludhiana arrested over pending non-bailable warrants

Police said that after verification, it was found that Gurwinder has a past criminal record and was booked in three cases including two for alleged snatching registered at Ludhiana’s Jamalpur police station in 2021 and 2022. Another robbery case was registered against him in Faridkot district.

He was booked by Jamalpur police in 2021 for allegedly looting Rs 1500 in cash, a mobile phone and wallet from a labourer.

He was again booked by Jamalpur police in 2022 for allegedly robbing two men of Rs 500 and two mobile phones.

In July 2022, Gurwinder along with his aides had allegedly barged in a home in Faridkot and robbed a woman of Rs 15.50 lakh and jewelry after injuring her. A case was lodged against him and his aides at Faridkot city police station.

A graduate, Gurwinder is the son of a Punjab Police cop.

Inspector Kulbir Singh, SHO, Jamalpur police station, said that it was found that a local Ludhiana court had issued non-bailable warrants against Gurwinder for absenteeism from court hearings in the 2021 snatching case. “He has been arrested. He was produced in the court Monday and has been sent in 14-day judicial remand,” said the inspector.

Inspector Gurpreet Singh, SHO of Meharban police station, said: “Gurwinder was booked in three FIRs- two at Jamalpur and one in Faridkot. He was acquitted by the court in 2022 Jamalpur case but was declared a proclaimed offender in two other cases after long absenteeism from court hearings.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Gurwinder’s wife Hardeep Kaur, however, said: “My husband was booked in false police cases in 2021 and 2022, as he was a member of the pro-Khalistan party Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). He supported SAD(A) chief Simranjit Singh Mann. He later got bail in both cases.”

According to Gurwinder’s statement to the authorities after landing at Amritsar airport, he had reached the US border through three agents based in Bathinda, Delhi, and Dubai. He had paid them Rs 45 lakh.

However, according to police sources, he had fled the country via an agent in Lucknow who had helped him in getting fake documents.

Hardeep Kaur further said: “After leaving home in October 2024, Gurwinder first landed in Guyana, and finally crossed the Mexico-US border on January 25. Following this, the authorities detained him… My husband had disputes with his father and elder brother; he wanted to start a business. After he demanded his share, my father-in-law took a loan of Rs 45 lakh. Then a local agent referred us to his colleague based in Bathinda, who had promised that my husband will reach the US within a few days. He, however, reached the border after over three months — my husband was en route by the time Donald Trump took over as the US President. The agent had refused to return the money, so we had no option but to take the risk.”

“When we had asked the agent what will happen if Trump starts deporting immigrants, he told us not to worry. The agent said that earlier too, during Trump’s previous presidential term, things went as usual. We never knew that Trump would be this harsh on immigrants, and deport them. We have no idea what lies ahead now,” Hardeep told The Indian Express.