Chandigarh: In a major success against transnational organised crime, Punjab Police, in coordination with central agencies, has secured the deportation of fugitive gangster Jobanjit Singh alias Joban Billa from Indonesia following a six-month-long international intelligence operation codenamed Operation Nomad Hunt.
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the accused was detained in Jakarta on July 20, 2026, deported to India, and taken into custody by Punjab Police at Mumbai Airport before being brought to Punjab for further investigation.
According to the DGP, Joban Billa had been evading arrest by moving across multiple countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, and Indonesia. He is wanted in several serious criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, and offences under the NDPS Act and Arms Act.
Police said the accused fled India on January 9, 2025, using a passport allegedly obtained with forged identity details of a Gorakhpur resident. The travel document had reportedly been issued from Lucknow in March 2024.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said Punjab Police had issued a Red Corner Notice against the fugitive and shared intelligence on his fake passport and movements with central agencies. Five INTERPOL references were also issued during the operation, which ultimately led to his detention in Indonesia.
Describing the operation as the culmination of sustained surveillance, intelligence gathering, and close coordination with national and international agencies, the DGP said Operation Nomad Hunt reflects Punjab Police’s intensified efforts to track down fugitives operating from abroad.
Additional Director General of Police (AGTF) Promod Ban said Joban Billa is wanted in four murder cases registered in Punjab, including the killings of Jarnail Singh (May 2023), Deepu Ajnala (January 2024), 12-year-old Gursewak Singh (March 2025), and Vicky Chugh (March 2025).
Punjab Police said the operation was carried out by the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) in coordination with the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) and central agencies. The OFTEC, established on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and headed by Inspector General of Police Ashish Choudhary, has been tasked with tracing overseas fugitives and expediting their return to India to face legal proceedings.
