Delhi Police special cell grills Hashim Baba in arms, double murder cases

Police said that Baba was also questioned about the two firearms and five cartridges recovered from two men attackers arrested from northeast Delhi’s Welcome area earlier this month.

The Delhi Police special cell has interrogated jailed gangster Hashim Baba in connection with an illicit firearms trafficking and supply case and double murder case of two brothers.

The special cell brought Hashim Baba to south Delhi office from Tihar jail in an arms act case, said police officers. (HT archive)

The brothers, Fazil Amir,31, and Nadeem, 33, were shot dead at Chauhan Bangar in northeast Delhi. Police suspected a fallout between them and Baba’s gang over establishing supremacy in the gunrunning trade. Their cousin, Asad (single name), is the prime suspect.

The special cell secured Baba’s production remand custody for two days on Monday and brought him to south Delhi office from Tihar jail in an arms act case, said two police officers.

Baba was quiized on grounds of invcolvement of his gang members, including fugitive gunrunner Mehfooz alias Bobby Kabootar, behind the double murder, said an officer.

On December 16, around 1.30 am, Nadeem and Fazil were returning to their Brahmpuri residence on a scooter when at least four assailants waylaid them in a lane and fired over 40 bullets. While Fazil died on the spot, Nadeem was declared dead at a nearby government hospital.

Investigators learnt that Asad had been working for Baba’s gang and supplied illicit firearms and ammunition through Bobby. Asad earlier worked for his cousins in their gunrunning business for nearly five years and later joined Baba’s group. Asad and Bobby suspected that the two brothers were acting as police informers against them and other gang members, the officer said.

“Atleast two attackers used semi-automatic Zigana pistols. Such illegally imported pistols are mostly supplied by Baba’s gang members,” the officer added.

Baba was questioning on the modus operandi behind the double murder and locations of the suspects absconding in the case, they added.

Another officer said that Baba was also grilled regarding the recovery of two firearms, including an Italy-made semi-automatic pistol, and five cartridges recovered from two men, who were arrested from northeast Delhi’s Welcome area earlier this month. “Investigators wanted to ascertain if the seized firearms and ammunition had been arranged for killing the two brothers,” the officer added.