Rajasthan: Major crackdown on interstate gang of arms suppliers

Jaipur: Rajasthan ATS carried out raids at more than a dozen places in Rajasthan, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh and busted an interstate gang of arms suppliers. The gang was involved in preparing fake arms licenses also. Hundreds of illegal gun licenses, guns and cartridges were recovered from the kingpin of the gang in Ajmer, senior ATS officers said.

ADG ATS Umesh Mishra said that a resident of Udaipur approached ATS headquarters and complained that one Zuber Khan, a resident of Ajmer and owner of Wali Mohemmed and Sons in Ajmer, had taken Rs 12 lakh from him for a weapon and an arms license. The complainant said the license looked suspicious following which an investigation was launched in this regard.

The ATS was already on the trail of Zuber and had a tip off that he was involved in buying and selling illegal arms from Madhya Pradesh’s Devas region.

A bogus customer was sent to Zuber and an arms deal was struck for Rs 2.30 lakh. He accepted Rs 2 lakh by cheque payment, while a cash amount of Rs 30000 was also given to him. He was taken into custody and interrogated. Two more men, Vishal – a resident of Abohar in Punjab and Ganpat Singh, a resident of Nasirabad were also arrested.

“Zuber revealed during interrogation that he had illegal arms license and guns at his house in Ajmer following which a search was carried out at his house and several other places. Hundreds of illegal arms licenses were recovered along with guns and cartridges,” said Mishra.

Sources said that many people are under the ATS and more arrest could follow in the coming days.

Sources said that more than 300 people are being interrogated by ATS in connection with the smuggling of guns. Nearly 450 gun licenses prepared fraudulently have been recovered.

In another crackdown, Rajasthan police’s crime branch has busted a gang of illegal arm manufacturers and arrested two of its members from Srimaharveer Ji in Karauli district. Nearly 15 pistols and 20 cartridges were recovered from their possession.

Those arrested were Sanjay Bheel (19) and Mahesh Bheel (25), both residents of Dhar in Madhya Pradesh.