Punjab Police have arrested Saudagar Singh, father of Shaganpreet Singh, a former associate of late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, in connection with a shooting at the home of singer Gulab Sidhu. Saudagar Singh was arrested from the Khanna area on Friday, while police have named both him and his son as accused in the case.

According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the shooting took place during the night of 12-13 September at Gulab Sidhu’s residence in Farwahi village in Punjab’s Barnala district. Three masked men allegedly opened fire on the house before fleeing the scene. Sidhu was in Australia at the time, while his parents, wife and children were inside the property.

The attackers fired six rounds, according to the police account. The incident has raised concerns over the security of Punjabi artists, particularly amid a series of cases in which threats, extortion allegations and criminal investigations have intersected with the region’s entertainment industry.

Barnala Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Goel confirmed Saudagar Singh’s arrest. Baljit Singh, an officer with the police’s Crime Investigation Agency, said Shaganpreet Singh is currently outside India. His father was arrested in Khanna on Friday, and investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding his alleged involvement.

Police had already arrested six people in connection with the shooting before Saudagar Singh was taken into custody. Among them are Gurwinder Singh and Gurpiar Singh, who are suspected of being directly involved in the firing. Investigators have also accused other suspects of providing logistical assistance, including arranging a vehicle and offering support through social media.

Several items were recovered during the investigation. Police said they seized three pistols with magazines, 10 live rounds, five spent cartridges, an Ertiga vehicle and two motorcycles without registration numbers.

Investigators have also claimed that the shooting may have links to an extortion network connected with gang members based overseas. Police further alleged that those involved were planning another major criminal act. These claims remain part of the ongoing investigation, and the precise roles of individual suspects have yet to be established through the legal process.

An audio recording circulated on social media after the shooting, in which a person identified as gangster Donny Bal allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack. The recording also contained allegations against Gulab Sidhu, including claims that he had used Moosewala’s name and maintained links with people associated with Moosewala’s murder.

Police, however, have not authenticated the recording. As a result, the allegations made in the audio have not been independently established and remain subject to investigation.

A case was initially registered at Barnala Sadar police station under provisions relating to attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting with weapons and unlawful assembly. Sections concerning extortion and organised crime were subsequently added as investigators examined the suspected links to criminal networks.

Gulab Sidhu is a recognised figure in Punjabi music and has a substantial following on social media. He was also known as a close associate of Sidhu Moosewala, one of Punjabi music’s most prominent contemporary artists.

Moosewala was shot dead in the Mansa district of Punjab on 29 May 2022. His murder became a major criminal investigation and continued to draw attention to the alleged connections between organised crime and parts of the Punjabi music industry. Since his death, the names of people associated with him have surfaced in various investigations and disputes.

The latest case has brought renewed scrutiny to those connections. With Shaganpreet Singh reportedly outside India and his father now in police custody, investigators are examining the alleged links between the suspects, the shooting and the wider extortion network. The investigation is continuing, and further details are expected to emerge as police question those arrested and examine the evidence collected from the scene and from the suspects.