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14,000 illegal knives seized in Delhi, five arrested

Jul 28, 2022 01:03 AM IST

In its latest bust, Delhi Police discovered that button-activated knives were being sold on e-commerce websites and being smuggled into India from China.

Five persons were arrested for illegally purchasing and selling button-activated knives, commonly known as Rampuri chakus, police said on Wednesday, adding they recovered over 14,000 such knives from their possession.

Carrying a button-activated knife--which employs a spring connected to a button to flick open the blade--is a crime under the Arms Act. (HT File)
Carrying a button-activated knife--which employs a spring connected to a button to flick open the blade--is a crime under the Arms Act. (HT File)

Deputy commissioner of police (south) Benita Mary Jaiker identified the suspects as Mohammed Sahil, 28, Wasim, 18, Mohammed Yusuf, 29, Ashish Chawla, 43, and Mayank Babbar alias Micky, 32. While police did share the exact dates and location of the arrests, they said all arrests were made between July 19 and 26.

To be sure, carrying a button-activated knife--which employs a spring connected to a button to flick open the blade--is a crime under the Arms Act. Only such knives are listed in the category of arms under the Act. In fact, if a person commits a crime using a knife without a button or spring, police cannot book the person under the Arms Act.

In its latest bust, Delhi Police discovered that button-activated knives were being sold on e-commerce websites and being smuggled into India from China.

According to Jaiker, CR Park police station received a control room call on July 18, informing officials that a bag containing several knives was lying on a road in the area. When police reached the spot and discovered the knives were button-activated knives, they seized the bag. The knives had been packed and the sender’s address was in Malviya Nagar.

During investigation, police analysed CCTV footage of the spot. “We discovered that the bag had fallen from the motorcycle of a delivery boy. We conducted a raid at the address, which was a godown, and apprehended Sahil and Wasim,” Jaiker said, adding they recovered 533 illegal knives from the building.

Police said Sahil sells these knives on e-shopping apps. They said Sahil told them Yusuf, who works for him, transports the knives from Sadar Bazar to his godown in Malviya Nagar.

Police then arrested Yusuf who told them he purchased the knives (on Sahil’s directions) from one Ashish Chawla.

With the help of human and technical analysis, police zeroed in on Chawla and arrested him as well. They recovered 13,440 more illegal button-activated knives from his godown in Sadar Bazar, Jaiker said.

Chawla told police that he ordered the knives from a vendor in China, and one Mayank Babbar alias Mickey, owner of K2M Importer & Exporters, whose office is in China handled the payment and shipping. He added that Babbar would import these illegal knives by mislabelling them as kitchen knives to avoid being caught by the Customs Department. Upon his instance, police arrested Babbar and recovered proof of multiple transactions such as e-way bills and tax invoices between Chawla and Babbar.

Jaiker said that with the arrest and recovery, they have busted a “nefarious Indo-Chinese module which has been bulk importing prohibited button-activated knives from China for sale in India”.

According to her, the investigation now will focus on the lapses, if any, on the part of regulatory and facilitating authorities like Customs, and Directorate General of Foreign Trade. and on the abettors of the crime, which include leading online markets where the product has been listed for sale by the arrested suspects. “We are also looking at the possibility of the involvement of Chinese state actors who might be colluding with the arrested Indians in pushing the contraband and to find out what else has been pushed into India under camouflaged names and titles,” she said.

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Stay updated with all top Cities including, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and more across India. Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News along with Delhi Election 2025 and Delhi Election Result 2025 Live, New Delhi Election Result Live, Kalkaji Election Result Live at Hindustan Times.
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