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Shots fired at Mohali microbrewery: Case cracked with arrest of Bishnoi’s close aide
As many as seven weapons were recovered from the accused, identified as Ashwani Kumar, alias Sarpanch, who is a native of Kurukshetra, Haryana, said police
Five months after two armed men fired gunshots at the windows of Brew Bros Microbrewery in Sector 80 on March 11, police claim to have cracked the case with the arrest of one of the shooters who is a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
As many as seven weapons were recovered from the accused, identified as Ashwani Kumar, alias Sarpanch, who is a native of Kurukshetra, Haryana, said police.
“The accused has confessed to firing at Brew Bros Microbrewery with his accomplice, Parshant Hindraw, who hails from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh. They also fired shots at Hotel G-Regency, Zirakpur. In both cases, they were targeting the owners of the establishments for extortion. Parshant Hindraw is already behind the bars at Mandoli Jail in Delhi,” said Mohali senior superintendent of police Vivek Sheel Soni, while addressing mediapersons on Thursday.
Brew Bros Microbrewery is owned by the family of city mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu, who is also the brother of former cabinet minister Balbir Singh Sidhu.
The microbrewery staff was wrapping up business for the night, while some customers were still dining around midnight on March 11, when two men had arrived on a motorcycle and fired two rounds of bullets, one of which had hit the first-floor windowpane of the three-storey restaurant-cum-pub.
Had been supplying weapons to gangsters in Punjab
The top cop said Ashwani had been supplying arms and ammunition to gangsters in Punjab. “A total of 21 illegal weapons have been recovered from him in the last one year,” he said.
The SSP said not only in Punjab, Ashwani was also wanted in Delhi, where a case under Sections 386 (extortion), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, and the Arms Act was registered by the special cell of Delhi Police.
Another Arms Act case was registered against him at the Garhshankar police station in Hoshiarpur on July 26, 2021.
Among the weapons recovered from Ashwani are four .32-bore pistols, a .30-bore pistol, a .22-bore pistol and a .315-bore country made weapon, along with 25 live cartridges.
The accused’s clothes worn while executing the crimes and the Honda Activa, bearing registration number PB65-X-9189, which was used in the firing at Hotel-G Regency were also recovered.
The arrest was made under the supervision of superintendent of police (SP) Amandeep Singh Brar, following a five-month long investigation by deputy superintendent of police (investigation) Gursher Singh and CIA inspector Shiv Kumar.
Sampat Nehra aide held for January carjacking
In another major breakthrough, police arrested a member of the Sampat Nehra gang for robbing a car at gunpoint on the Morinda-Kharar road in January.
The accused, Vikas, alias Lucky, is a resident of Badali village in Kharar, Mohali.
The snatched Maruti Suzuki Brezza, bearing registration number HR05-AW-4543, along with a .32-bore pistol and five live cartridges, were recovered from him.
The SSP said Vikas had executed the carjacking with his four aides, Gurwinder Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh and Yashine, who had been already in connection with an armed robbery at a Sohana jewellery shop.
Soni said Vikas’ arrest came on the disclosure of the four robbers, who confessed to their involvement in the January carjacking as well.
Thereafter, a team was constituted under the supervision of SP Amandeep Singh Brar that raided Vikas’ hideout and arrested him.
