Delhi: 15 semi-automatic pistols, 150 live rounds seized; 4 held

New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) An arms supplier linked to the Neeraj Bawana gang and three of his receivers were arrested in Delhi along with 15 semi-automatic pistols, 150 live rounds and eight additional magazines, police said on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Harsh Indora said this is one of the biggest recent seizures of firearms meant to be supplied to gangs in Delhi and NCR.

The accused arms supplier has been identified as Mohammad Shajid (42), who was caught near Netaji Subhash Place District Centre. Acting on his disclosure, three receivers of illegal firearms -- Vishal Rana (28), Aniket (32) and Sourabh Dhingra (38) -- were arrested.

Shajid was first apprehended on August 11 after a team of crime branch laid a trap at the parking area of Netaji Subhash Place. He was found seated in a car carrying 10 pistols, 118 live rounds and eight extra magazines, the police said.

A case was registered and further investigation was launched.

During interrogation, Shajid disclosed that he had been sourcing firearms from Meerut and Mawana in Uttar Pradesh and supplying them to the Neeraj Bawana gang, Afsar gang and other criminal syndicates.

"He admitted that he had supplied over 100 firearms to criminals -- each purchased for Rs 35,000 to 40,000 and sold for Rs 50,000 to 60,000, generating huge profits," the DCP said.

Following this disclosure, another team was constituted and on August 17, the team arrested Vishal Rana, a resident of Inderpuri in Delhi, and recovered one pistol and three live rounds from him, the police said.

Rana was previously involved in two cases of illegal firearms. On September 9, another accused, Aniket, a resident of Rajouri Garden, was nabbed with one semi-automatic pistol and two live rounds, they said.

On September 13, the third receiver, Kirti Nagar resident Sourabh Dhingra, was arrested with three semi-automatic pistols and 27 live rounds, the police said, adding that Dhingra had earlier been involved in three cases, including attempt to murder.

The main accused, Shajid, is a repeat offender with a long history of involvement in arms trafficking and other serious crimes. He had earlier been arrested in 2012 in two separate robbery and dacoity cases in Delhi, they said.

In 2022, he faced cases under the Arms Act and attempt to murder while in 2023, he was apprehended by the Special Cell with a large consignment of firearms but resumed the trade after release, they added.

The backward link of the supply chain has been traced to Meerut and Mawana in Uttar Pradesh, the police said.

"Efforts are being made to identify and apprehend those providing these illegal arms. The crackdown will continue to dismantle the syndicates fuelling organised crime in Delhi," DCP Indora said. PTI BM NB