The Delhi Police’s Special Cell has arrested three members of an inter-state illegal firearms syndicate and recovered 15 “good quality” pistols from their possession, which they procured from an MP-based weapons supplier, an official said on Monday.
The accused were identified as Gagan Saraswat, 23, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’ Mathura, and Prashant Meena, 21 and Kamal Meena, both residents of Rajasthan’s Dholpur.
Police said that they have recovered nine semi-automatic pistols of .32 bore with 18 magazines and six single-shot pistols from the possession of the accused.
The recovered firearms were meant to be supplied to the criminals and arms traffickers of Delhi/NCR, Rajasthan, UP, and Punjab.
Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, H.G.S. Dhaliwal said that on July 14, specific inputs were received that two members of this arms syndicate, Prashant and Kamal, had procured a consignment of pistols from MP’s Khargone and brought the same to Delhi.
“A trap was laid near Vayu Sena Vihar, Suraj Kund Road, heading towards Sangam Vihar. Prashant, Kamal, and Gagan were overpowered by the police team,” he said.
On interrogation, it was revealed that Prashant has been found previously involved in five cases, including four of arms trafficking and one of attempted murder in UP and Rajasthan while Kamal is found previously involved in two cases under the NDPS Act in Rajasthan.
“The accused also disclosed that they used to buy semi-automatic pistols from MP for Rs 8,000 per piece and single-shot pistols for Rs 2,500 per piece. They would sell semi-automatic pistols for Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 in Delhi and other states. They have further revealed that they had brought around 300 pistols from MP during the last two years and supplied the same to the criminals of Delhi/NCR, Punjab, Rajasthan, and UP,” said the Special CP.
“Further interrogation of the trio is in progress to identify the other members of the syndicate,” the official added.
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