Ludhiana: Less than two weeks after bullets were fired at an immigration consultancy in the upscale Model Town Extension area, Ludhiana police have arrested one of the alleged shooters and claimed the attack was linked to an extortion bid orchestrated from abroad.Police said the firing was allegedly carried out on the directions of Varinder Charan, a Rajasthan resident, and Jagjit Singh alias Gandhi of Butahari village, both of whom are currently based overseas. Investigators claim the duo had demanded extortion money from the owner of the immigration firm and ordered the attack after their demand was allegedly refused.The case was registered at Model Town police station on Oct 11 on the complaint of Bhanu Ahuja, a resident of Haibowal Kalan, after two unidentified assailants opened fire at the office.Police said the investigation led to the identification of Deepak Kumar and Gagandeep, a resident of Seelampur in Delhi, as the alleged shooters. Deepak has now been arrested, while Gagandeep remains absconding.Police said Deepak was produced before a court and remanded to police custody. The motorcycle allegedly used in the attack has also been recovered.Officials added that raids are being conducted to apprehend the second accused and that further action is being initiated against the alleged masterminds operating from abroad.Investigators said Deepak, who studied up to Class X, does not have any previous criminal record.The firing had triggered concern among immigration consultants in the city, a sector that has increasingly come under the scanner amid extortion and gangster-linked threats in recent years. Police maintain that the remaining accused would be arrested soon.
