Cops foil hit on witness linked to Hashim Baba gang

As Chhenu wanted to weaken the case, he planned the killing of the prosecution witness and roped in his associates to execute it, said police.

Four men, including jailed gangster Ifran alias Chhenu Pehalwan, have been arrested, police said, claiming to have averted contract killing of a witness in murder of Hashim Baba gang member.

Investigation revealed that a cash payment of ₹20,000 as token money was funnelled through a tea stall owner in Seelampur.

The accused had planned to kill the witness after the Republic Day. However, one of the conspirators Adeeb Jafarabadi, 22, was arrested on January 24 with a pistol and five cartridges and his interrogation led to the conspiracy and arrest of key planner, Chhenu Pehalwan, and the other two men, Mohammad Usman,37, and Farman Khan, 24, special cell officers said on Monday.

On October 30 last year, 22-year-old Mohammad Misbah, member of the Hashim Baba gang, was returning to his northeast Delhi’s Jafrabad residence after attending a wedding when he was shot dead by at least four members of the Chhenu Pehalwan gang. Misbah’s friend was present at the spot at the time of the incident and two accused Abdullah and Faizan Ghazi alias Prince were later arrested, officers said.

“Abdullah is a relative of Chhenu, who is lodged in Mandoli jail. As Chhenu wanted to weaken the case, he planned the killing of the prosecution witness and roped in his associates to execute it,” said one of the officers.

Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Amit Kaushik said the special cell’s eastern range team received information about the conspiracy and arrested Adeeb from near Jag Pravesh Chandra hospital with a semi-automatic pistol and five cartridges. He was booked in an Arms Act case.

Adeeb disclosed that the weapon was procured for a murder ordered by Chhenu Pehalwan, who is currently lodged in Mandoli jail. Adeeb further named his associates, Farman and Aamir, who were roped into the plan.

“Investigation revealed that a cash payment of ₹20,000 as token money was funnelled through a tea stall owner in Seelampur. Usman delivered the money to the vendor for distribution to the shooters. We arrested Farman on January 26 and Usman the next day. On January 28, Chhenu was also arrested in the case,” said DCP Kaushik.

“We have added sections 55 (abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to the case in view of the organised nature of the crime.”