Chandigarh

Punjab Police have registered an FIR against four persons, including foreign-based gangster Jograj Singh alias Joga Pholriwal, in connection with the daylight murder of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satwinderpal Singh alias Lucky Oberoi in Jalandhar, with investigators suspecting personal rivalry as the motive behind the crime.

Police officials on Saturday said the case has been registered at Division 6 police station of the Jalandhar Commissionerate under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act. Apart from Joga Pholriwal, Dalbira has been named in the FIR, while two other accused remain unidentified. The complaint was filed by members of the victim’s family.

Despite CCTV footage capturing the shooting, police said the gunman and his accomplice have not yet been identified. Multiple teams have been formed to trace the suspects, who were seen fleeing the scene on a two-wheeler.

Oberoi (43), a financier by profession and AAP’s ward in charge in Jalandhar Cantonment, was shot dead on Friday morning outside a gurdwara in the Model Town area. According to police, the incident occurred around 7.30 am, shortly after Oberoi stepped out of the shrine after paying obeisance.

CCTV visuals show the assailant, wearing a black hoodie, approaching Oberoi as he sat inside his Mahindra Thar vehicle. The attacker opened fire at close range and escaped with an accomplice waiting nearby on a Honda Activa.

Soon after the murder, an unverified post surfaced on social media, purportedly issued by Joga Pholriwal, claiming responsibility for the killing. The post levelled several allegations against Oberoi and cited personal enmity linked to a dispute over the presidency of a college students’ union.

Police sources said Joga Pholriwal, a native of Pholriwal village in Jalandhar district, is believed to be living abroad. Investigators revealed that Oberoi and Joga were previously known to each other and had shared friendly relations, but differences allegedly emerged during the Khalsa College students’ union elections.

The FIR was lodged based on the statement of Oberoi’s brother, Damandeep Singh, who claimed that Joga and Dalbira had threatened the deceased earlier. However, police noted that no formal complaint regarding the alleged threats was filed at the time.

On the day of the incident, Oberoi had gone to the gurdwara along with his brother and a friend when the shooting took place, officials said.

Oberoi was cremated in Jalandhar on Saturday amid heavy police presence.

Punjab minister Mohinder Bhagat said those responsible for the killing would be arrested soon, adding that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had directed the Director General of Police to personally monitor the investigation.

Responding to criticism from a family member over the incident, Bhagat said such reactions were understandable given the trauma suffered by the family.

READ MORE: Muslims must prioritise education for girls: Ex-Maha minister Anees Majeed Ahmed

Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP, targeted the AAP-led government, alleging a deterioration in law and order in Punjab.