Man confessed ‘funding’ Punjab checkpost shooters; police want him discharged

3 min readAmritsarUpdated: Jul 2, 2026 02:01 PM IST

The checkpost at Adhian where two police personnel were shot dead in February. (Express Photo by Kamaldeep Singh Brar)

The Punjab Police have sought to discharge a man they projected as a key operative of an international terror funding network in connection with the February 22, 2026, killings of an assistant sub-Inspector and a home guard at a checkpost in Adhian village, barely 2 km from the India-Pakistan border, in Gurdaspur district.

After Assistant Sub-Inspector Gurnam Singh and Home Guard Ashok Kumar were shot dead at close range while on duty, the police concluded the killings were orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which allegedly recruited locals to carry out the attack in exchange for money. By late February, the police identified three suspects. While two of them—Dilawar Singh and Inderjit Singh—were arrested, the third, Ranjit Singh, was killed in an alleged police encounter.

Invoking multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including terror-financing provisions, the police then named an alleged money conduit for the operation: Sukhjinder Singh alias Heera, owner of a restaurant and an immigration consultancy in Kadian.

‘Rs 8 lakh transferred on foreign handler’s direction’

According to the case file, Sukhjinder Singh gave a detailed confession to the police describing how a foreign-based handler he identified only as “AD” repeatedly called him on his mobile number and instructed him to hand over cash to specific local men who allegedly executed the crime. Over several months, he allegedly said, he paid out roughly Rs 8 lakh in tranches—Rs 3 lakh, then Rs 2 lakh, then another Rs 2 lakh, then a final Rs 1 lakh—to Ranjit Singh, Inderjit Singh alias Shah, Dilawar Singh, and Sarwan Singh alias Billi, all on AD’s direction. The final payment was made after the double murder was executed.

Sukhjinder allegedly told the police that AD had explicitly informed him that the men had links to “foreign terrorists/smugglers” and were engaged in terror financing.

Sukhjinder Singh’s confession was also recorded in the presence of Naib Tehsildar Dalvinder Singh of Dinanagar, who acted as the duty magistrate. A statement made before a magistrate carries far greater evidentiary weight in court than one made only to investigating officers. He gave specific mobile numbers, including a foreign contact number that AD had used to coordinate the payments.

The police had independently corroborated the final Rs 1 lakh payment, made on February 24, 2026, on Railway Road, Batala.

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Now, the final chargesheet in the case, filed in a court on June 8, 2026, stated that no evidence was found against Sukhjinder and sought his discharge. However, the case records show that the police had built a detailed evidentiary trail against him.

When contacted by The Indian Express, Gurdaspur SSP Aditya said that Sukhjinder was extended “good faith service” on the basis that his “intention” was not established and that he lacked knowledge of what the money he transferred was actually for.

The police still don’t know who placed the murder weapon at the spot from where the accused had allegedly procured it and executed the killings. In the final chargesheet, they have named only those who were allegedly involved directly in the crime, not conspirators.

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.

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India-Pak border