Ahmedabad, Oct 8: The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch has arrested a man allegedly involved in the killing of Punjabi social media influencer and make-up artist Mad Sandhu in Amritsar on October 3, identifying him as the shooter who also arranged the motorcycle used in the attack, police said on Thursday.

The accused has been identified as Parminder Prasad alias Parminder Kaka. According to Ahmedabad Crime Branch DCP, Ajit Rajian, Parminder carried out the firing that killed Sandhu and arranged the motorcycle used by the assailants.

“His role is that of the shooter. He did the firing and also arranged the bike,” Rajian told media. The arrest followed an input from Amritsar Police and coordination between the Punjab and Gujarat police teams.

The accused was traced to Ahmedabad, where the Crime Branch took him into custody as part of the investigation into the murder.

“A case has been registered as FIR No. 186/2026 under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Cantonment Police Station in Amritsar. Further legal proceedings are underway,” he confirmed.

Sandhu, whose real name was Madhusudan Sandhu, was shot on October 3 by two motorcycle-borne assailants near a car wash centre on Loharka Road in Amritsar.

Police had said the attackers opened fire before fleeing from the spot. Sandhu was taken to a private hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The killing had initially led police to examine several possible angles. Investigators collected CCTV footage from the area and examined Sandhu’s movements and digital records to identify the attackers.

Amritsar Police had reportedly detained two persons while probing a possible contract-killing angle.

Sandhu, 29, had a substantial following on social media and was known for his work as a make-up artist and for speaking about make-up artistry and gender-related issues on podcasts and digital platforms.

He had more than two lakh followers on Instagram and had also appeared in the Punjabi film ‘Oye Bhole Oye’.

The case also drew attention after social-media posts allegedly linked to foreign-based gangsters claimed responsibility for the killing.

However, Punjab Police had earlier said the authenticity of such posts had not been established. Investigators have also been examining possible links to the network of gangster Goldy Dhillon.

The latest arrest is expected to help investigators establish the sequence of events leading to the killing, identify other persons involved and determine the circumstances surrounding the alleged contract killing.

New Delhi, Oct 8: The Special Task Force (STF) of Delhi Police on Thursday has busted an illegal stocking and distribution network involving foreign-brand cigarettes and apprehended one person in connection with the case.

Acting on specific intelligence, the STF conducted a targeted raid at a shop in Naya Bans at Pan Mandi in Delhi’s Khari Baoli, and recovered 78,800 cigarette sticks belonging to nine international brands.

The seized cigarettes did not carry the mandatory pictorial health warnings prescribed under Indian law.

According to the police, secret information was received by the STF/North on October 7 regarding the illegal stocking and distribution of imported foreign cigarettes at Shop No. 6363, Naya Bans, Pan Mandi in Khari Baoli. Acting on the information, a dedicated team was constituted under the supervision of Inspector Ashish Kumar Dubey, STF In-charge, (North), and the guidance of ACP/Operations/North Vishesh Dhatterwal.

The team comprised Sub-Inspectors Saurav and Sartaj, Assistant Sub-Inspectors Rajiv and Shahir, Head Constables Nishant, Parveen and Mukul, and Constables Nishant and Mayank.

During the raid, the team apprehended Junaid Ahmed, 45, a resident of Naya Bans at Pan Mandi in Khari Baoli.

A search of the premises led to the recovery of 78,800 cigarette sticks of various foreign brands.

The seized stock included 32,200 sticks of Esse Lights, 32,000 of Mond, 5,200 of Esse Special Gold, 2,400 of Esse Golden Leaf, 2,400 of Win, 1,600 of Djarum Black, 1,400 of Dunhill Silver, 1,000 of Dunhill Black and 600 of Davidoff Gold.

Police said the cigarettes did not bear the mandatory pictorial health warnings required under Indian law.

Following the recovery, an FIR dated October 7, was registered under Sections 7/20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) at Lahori Gate Police Station. Further investigation has been initiated.

During questioning, Ahmed disclosed that he had been working as a manager at a gutka shop in Naya Bans for the past six months.

Police said that, besides gutka, foreign-brand cigarettes were stocked in bulk at the premises and supplied in retail quantities as well as against specific orders.

According to the police, the cigarettes were procured from suppliers dealing in foreign-brand tobacco products and were allegedly being sold without the prescribed health warnings.

The owner of the shop was not present during the raid.

Police teams are making efforts to trace him and ascertain his alleged role in the procurement, storage and sale of the cigarettes.

Investigators are also working to identify the suppliers involved and trace the source and distribution network of the recovered consignment.

Police said further investigation is underway to establish the complete chain involved in the illegal procurement, stocking and distribution of the foreign cigarettes.

New Delhi, Oct 8: Actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of her personality and publicity rights against the alleged unauthorised use and misuse of her identity, including through pornographic and obscene content posted across digital platforms.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan issued summons in the suit and also issued notice on the interim injunction application filed by the actress.

During the proceedings, counsel appearing for Ranaut submitted that she was aggrieved by pornographic and obscene content posted against her on social media.

The High Court asked Ranaut’s counsel to provide the names of the defendants against whom a takedown order was being sought, indicating that an appropriate order may be passed on the interim injunction application after the details are furnished.

It also directed the actress’ counsel to file a revised memo of parties after certain defendants were removed from the proceedings.

The matter has now been listed for further hearing on February 3, 2027.

The development comes amid a growing number of personality rights disputes before the Delhi High Court involving allegations of AI-generated impersonation, deepfakes, fake endorsements and unauthorised commercial exploitation of public figures’ identities.

In recent months, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, actors Arjun Kapoor, Allu Arjun, Nagarjuna, Varun Dhawan, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, singer Jubin Nautiyal, filmmaker Karan Johar, podcaster Raj Shamani, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and actor Naga Chaitanya have secured or sought court protection against the unauthorised use of their identity, likeness or AI-generated imitations.

The Delhi High Court had recently passed an interim order directing the removal of certain objectionable online content featuring Bollywood actress Tabu while hearing her suit seeking protection of her personality and publicity rights against the unauthorised use of her identity across digital platforms.