Karni Sena chief’s killing: NIA arrests key suspect, raids 31 sites in Haryana, Rajasthan

Ashok Kumar was the ninth accused to be arrested in the case following the recovery of arms and ammunition from his premises in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, a spokesperson of the federal agency said

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested a key suspect in the killing of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in Jaipur last month, as it carried out raids at 31 locations in Rajasthan and Haryana including, Hisar, Rewari, Mahendergarh and other places linked to gangsters.

Raids were conducted in Hisar, Rewari and Mahendergarh. (HT Photo)

Ashok Kumar was the ninth accused to be arrested in the case following the recovery of arms and ammunition from his premises in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

Gogamedi, along with another person, was killed and two persons were injured in a daylight shootout at his Shyam Nagar residence in Jaipur on December 5. One of the injured also succumbed to injuries later.

The case, originally registered by the Rajasthan Police, was taken over by the NIA on December 11.

The NIA team in close coordination with Haryana police reached Dongra Ahir village in Mahendergarh, the native village of gangster Nitin Fauji, who was one of the main accused in the killing of Gogamedi. The investigation agency officials also searched the premises of gangster Mahesh Saini at Rewari’s Sati colony and another criminal Neeraj’s house at Bandor village in the district. NIA also raided the house of Ranveer Pilania of Surheti village in Mahendergarh.

According to officials, the NIA team started raids at 5 am at various places.

“Nitin Fauji came home on November 7 for two days leave and he was recruited in 17 Jat Battalion and was posted at Alwar in Rajasthan. According to his family, he had gone to Mahendergarh to on November 9 last year and since then he remained incommunicado with his family. During his period, he committed various crimes including the killing of Sukhdev Singh in December,” the NIA officials said.

Last month, Rohit Rathore from Makrana, and Nitin Fauji, 26, from Haryana’s Mahendergarh, both accused in the killing of Sukhdev Singh, were arrested from a liquor shop in Sector 22, Chandigarh, during a joint operation carried out by a special investigation team (SIT) of Rajasthan Police and crime branch of Delhi Police. A third person who helped them evade police, Uddham Singh of Hisar was also arrested.

The NIA team also conducted raids at Fauji’s aide Udam Singh’s house in Satrod village in Hisar. The NIA team questioned Uddham Singh’s family members.