1 held in AAP leader's murder case following exchange of fire in Amritsar: Punjab Police

AAdult male was arrested from Amritsar on sat in connectedness with the cleanup of AAP leader Lucky Oberoi in Punjab's Jalandhar, law said.The accused, identified as Shaminder Singh, a resident of Mithapur in Jalandhar, was arrested following a brief exchange of fire in the Khasa area of Amritsar, they added.A 30-bore pistol was seized from his possession, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Sandeep Goel said.The accused, who was driving a Honda Activa two-wheeler when he was intercepted by a police team, has a criminal history.Also Read | Punjab AAP leader Lucky Oberoi shot dead in his car in JalandharOberoi (43) was shot at by an unidentified assailant outside a gurdwara in Jalandhar's Model Town area around 7:30 am on Friday, shortly after he stepped out of the shrine.While multiple aspects are being looked into, police are also suspecting the involvement of Oberoi's servant who has gone missing, sources said.A two-wheeler, believed to have been used in the crime, and a Hyundai Creta car seen in CCTV footage are under the police scanner, they added.A case has been lodged against two named accused, including a foreign-based gangster, and two unidentified individuals in connection with Oberoi's daylight killing, with police suspecting personal enmity as the motive behind the incident, officials said on Saturday.Police have booked gangster Jograj Singh alias Joga Pholriwal, who has claimed responsibility for the killing in an unverified social media post, Dalbira and two unidentified persons under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at the Division 6 police station in the Jalandhar Commissionerate, based on a complaint from the victim's family, the officials said.However, the assailant and his accomplice, who were captured on a CCTV camera, are yet to be identified, with several police teams deployed to trace them.Talking to reporters in Jalandhar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Harinder Singh Gill said of the eight bullets fired from a 9-mm pistol, five hit Oberoi, leading to his death.He added that the post-mortem has been videographed.Asked whether shooters were hired, he refused to make any comment, saying it is under investigation.He also said the servant's role is being looked into.CCTV footage showed that as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader came out of the gurdwara and sat in his car -- a Mahindra Thar -- the assailant, wearing a black hoodie, approached him on foot, opened fire and fled along with an accomplice, who was waiting for him on a two-wheeler a short distance away.Satwinderpal Singh alias Lucky Oberoi, a financier by profession, was a ward in charge for the AAP in Jalandhar Cantonment.An unverified social media post, purportedly by Joga Pholriwal, claimed responsibility for the killing.Several allegations were levelled against Oberoi in the post, which claimed that he was killed due to personal enmity over a dispute regarding the presidency of a college.A police officer said on Saturday that Joga Pholriwal, Dalbira and two others have been booked for Oberoi's killing.Joga Pholriwal, who hails from Pholriwal in Jalandhar district, is believed to be living abroad, the officer added.Oberoi and Joga Pholriwal were friends earlier. In a Facebook post, the two are seen sharing a cake, the sources said.However, their relations soured over the election of the students' union president of the Khalsa College, they said.Oberoi's brother, Damandeep Singh, on whose statement the FIR was lodged, has named Joga Pholriwal and Dalbira in his complaint, claiming that the duo had threatened the victim recently.However, police said the family had not filed any complaint about the alleged threat at the time.On Friday morning, Oberoi and his brother had gone to the gurdwara, along with one of their friends.Police said several teams have been deployed to trace the assailant and his accomplice, who were seen fleeing the spot on a Honda Activa. Both were wearing hoodies.Oberoi was cremated in Jalandhar on Saturday.Punjab minister Mohinder Bhagat said those involved in the killing will be arrested, adding that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had sent the DGP to Jalandhar after the incident.On one of the family members criticising the state government over Oberoi's killing, Bhagat said it is natural for the family to be distressed after such an incident.Opposition Congress, Akali Dal and BJP have slammed the AAP government over the incident, alleging that Punjab's law and order has collapsed under it.