The police have arrested a sarpanch and his accomplices for allegedly plotting an attack on Punjabi singer Gulab Sidhu and running an extortion racket targeting celebrities and businessmen. The sarpanch is already facing 12 criminal cases, including attempt to murder, robbery, extortion and Arms Act violations.A 0.32 bore pistol, three live cartridges and a dummy pistol were recovered. The police also impounded a Maruti Swift car. The accused has been identified as Kot Duna sarpanch Baljinder Singh alias Kinda. His associates are Balwinder Singh alias Binder Mann and Gurwinder Singh alias Gill, both residents of Kot Duna. They were arrested during a raid near the Moga-Barnala bypass.Barnala Senior Superintendent of Polcie (SSP) Mohd Sarfaraz Alam said Gurwinder and Balwinder have also been booked in criminal cases in the past. Baljinder, meanwhile, face cases in Barnala, Bathinda and Sangrur districts.“During interrogation, the accused revealed that they had planned to target singer Gulab Sidhu at a wedding. Baljinder was angered by one of Sidhu’s songs that mentioned sarpanches. He had even posted a video on social media threatening the singer. The accused were planning an attack on Sidhu and use the notoriety to intimidate other celebrities and businessmen to extort money from them,” the SSP said. A case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Indian Arms Act has been registered at the Barnala City police station.