CHANDIGARH, July 25:
In a major breakthrough against transnational organised crime amidst the ongoing Gangstran Te Vaar campaign launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab, in coordination with Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) Punjab and Central Agencies, successfully secured the deportation of fugitive gangster Jobanjit Singh alias Joban Billa from Jakarta in Indonesia, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.
The accused Joban Billa was detained in Indonesia on on July 20, 2026 and subsequently deported to India. He was taken into custody by the Punjab Police from Mumbai Airport and is being brought to Punjab for further investigation.
“The operation marks the successful culmination of Operation Nomad Hunt—a six-month-long intelligence-led international manhunt involving sustained surveillance, strategic intelligence gathering and close coordination with national and international agencies,” said DGP Gaurav Yadav.
The DGP said that accused Joban Billa has been wanted in multiple heinous criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, NDPS Act and Arms Act offences.
As per the information, accused Joban Billa fled abroad on January 9, 2025, using a passport prepared on fake particulars of Gorakhpur resident. The passport was issued from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, on March 8, 2024.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that accused Joban Billa was evading arrest by operating across multiple countries. Joban was earlier hiding in United Arab Emirates (UAE) from where he travelled to Georgia and further from Georgia, he travelled to Indonesia.
“Punjab Police had issued Red Corner Notice against accused Joban Billa and inputs regarding his fake passport and whereabouts were shared with central agencies at different intervals. In addition, five INTERPOL references were also issued,” he said, while adding that sustained and persistent efforts led to detention of accused in Indonesia.
Pertinently, Operation Nomad Hunt has been executed under the close supervison of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban and led by Superintendent of Police (SP) AGTF/OFTEC Bikramjit Singh Brar.
ADGP Promod Ban said that accused Joban Billa is wanted in four murder cases registered in Punjab including murder of Jarnail Singh at Village Sathiala Amritsar in May 2023, murder of Deepu Ajnala in January 2024, murder of 12-years-old boy Gursewak Singh in March 2025 and murder of Vicky Chugh in March 2025.
Meanwhile, on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police has established OFTEC, headed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ashish Choudhary, to reach out the criminals sitting abroad and expedite their extradition process to bring them back to Punjab to face legal action.
