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Moose Wala murder: Sixth shooter arrested from West Bengal-Nepal border
Deepak Mundi, who was a part of the shooters’ Haryana module that killed the singer, and his two associates – Kapil Pandit and Rajinder alias Joker – were nabbed in a joint operation of Punjab Police, Delhi Police and central agencies
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The sixth and last shooter allegedly involved in singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder was arrested from the West Bengal-Nepal border on Saturday, Punjab Police said.
He was caught along with his two aides after evading arrest for over 100 days.
Deepak Mundi, who was a part of the shooters’ Haryana module that killed the singer, and his two associates – Kapil Pandit and Rajinder alias Joker – were nabbed in a joint operation of Punjab Police, Delhi Police and central agencies.
“In a major breakthrough, @PunjabPoliceInd, in a joint operation with central agencies & #DelhiPolice, have arrested Deepak @ Mundi, absconding shooter of #SidhuMoosewala, with 2 associates. Major victory in war against drugs & gangsters on directions of CM @BhagwantMann (sic),” Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav tweeted.
“Deepak, Kapil Pandit & Rajinder have been arrested today by #AGTF team at #WestBengal-#Nepal border in the culmination of intelligence-based operation. Deepak was the shooter in Bolero module, Kapil Pandit & Rajinder provided logistical support including weapons & hideouts (sic),” he said in another tweet.
Mansa superintendent of police (SSP) Gaurav Toora, who is also a member of the special investigation team (SIT) probing Moose Wala’s murder, said Mundi will be brought to a local court to secure his custody.
“As he was at large for a long time, his questioning might provide information on mastermind Goldy Brar’s activity,” he added.
On May 29, six shooters had gunned down Moose Wala when he, along with his cousin and a friend, was driving to Jawaharke village in Mansa, 10 km away from the singer’s native village Moosa.
Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, who is a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, had claimed responsibility for the murder.
The police had identified the six shooters as Priyavrat Fauji, Kashish, Ankit Sersa, Deepak Mundi, Manpreet Singh and Jagrup Singh Roopa, who were part of the two modules allegedly involved in the killing.
While a Delhi Police’s special cell had nabbed Fauji, Kashish and Sersa, Punjab module shooters Manpreet and Roopa were killed in an encounter with Punjab Police in Amritsar.
Had given Delhi Police the slip twice
Mundi had managed to escape the Delhi Police’s special cell twice when other shooters were arrested.
On June 19, Fauji and Kashish were arrested along with Keshav, who had helped them flee Baroi village in Gujarat’s Kutch. It was learnt that Mundi accompanied them to Gujarat, but he, along with Ankit, got separated a day before Fauji and Kashish got caught.
Later on July 4, Sersa was arrested along with Sachin Bhiwani, who harboured four shooters, from Kashmiri Gate in Delhi. Interrogation of Ankit revealed that they were together in the capital earlier in the day before his arrest.
The Punjab Police SIT, in its 1,850-page chargesheet against 24 accused, has mentioned that the murder of Moose Wala was a part of a long series of revenge killings between Bishnoi and Bambiha gangs.
The police had said that Brar coordinated with gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and some others to execute Moose Wala’s killing.
According to the chargesheet, Brar had given the information about Moose Wala’s security withdrawal to the shooters and asked them to escalate the plan.
He had hatched the murder plan to avenge the killing of Akali youth leader Vicky Middukhera. The name of Shaganpreet Singh, who was said to be Moose Wala’s manager, had figured in Middukhera’s murder after which the gangsters claimed that the singer was also involved.
