Moosewala murder: Cops make first arrest — cousin of jailed gangster, had arranged car for assailants

Sources said the accused, Manpreet, provided logistics support to the attackers but was not among the attackers.

3 min readAmritsarUpdated: Jun 1, 2022 08:49 AM IST

Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead on Sunday. (Photo: Sidhu Moosewala/Instagram)

Making its first breakthrough in the gruesome murder of singer-politician Sidhu Moosewala, the Punjab Police Tuesday arrested one person.

The accused, identified as Manpreet Singh Bhau (27), is a resident of Dhapyi village in Faridkot district. Manpreet has been accused of supplying vehicles to the assailants who were involved in the killing of Moosewala. As per the police, Manpreet was not among the attackers who had opened indiscriminate fire on Moosewala’s vehicle killing him at the spot.

Manpreet is cousin of another gangster Manpreet Singh Manna, who is lodged in Ferozepur jail and was on Monday brought to Mansa on production warrants for questioning, in Moosewala murder case . Manna is in jail for killing another gangster Kulbir Naruana.

According to sources in the police, Manpreet had given a white Toyota Corola car, owned by Manna, to the assailants. A CCTV footage had emerged on social media showing Moosewala’s vehicle being followed by the white car in Jawaharke village Sunday evening. The occupants of this car had first opened fire at Moosewala’s vehicle. Later another group of assailants, an a Mahindra Bolero car, joined the first group and started indiscriminate firing, killing Moosewala at the spot.

Manpreet has nine cases — under arms Act, and for kidnapping and murder — registered against him in Faridkot, Ropar and Muktsar. He was among six people detained from Dehradun on Monday while returning from Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh shrine located in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. They were later brought to Punjab for interrogation in connection with Moosewala’s murder case.

Manpreet was produced in a Mansa court, which remanded him in five-day police remand. The police are expecting more information about the attackers from Manpreet.

The developments came even as the Aam Aadmi Party government, facing flak over the worsening law and order situation in Punjab, appointed 1993-batch IPS officer Ishwar Singh as the additional director general of police (law and order), a week after it had shifted Naresh Arora from the post.

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“Ishwar Singh, additional director general of police, is hereby posted as ADGP Law & Order, Punjab,” an official order said.

Ishwar Singh was serving as the chief director of the state’s Vigilance Bureau, a post that has now been handed over to Varinder Kumar, who too is a 1993-batch IPS officer and had been serving as ADGP (Jails).

Moosewala was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab’s Mansa district, a day after his security cover was withdrawn by the state government.

The state police had termed the incident as a case of an inter-gang rivalry and had said the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was behind the murder. Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, who is the member of Bishnoi gang, had claimed the responsibility of the murder.

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According to police, Moosewala’s murder appeared to be in retaliation of youth Akali leader Vicky Middukhera’s killing that took place last year.

The name of Moosewala’s manager Shaganpreet had figured in the murder of Middukhera’s murder. However, Shaganpreet had fled to Australia, according to police.

Three shooters, identified as Sunny, Anil Lath and Bholu, all residents of Haryana, had been arrested by the Delhi Police special cell in connection with the murder of Vicky Middukhera while Shaganpreet was also nominated as accused in the FIR.

With PTI

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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