Father of gangster Neeraj Bawana arrested

A senior police officer said that a case under Arms Act and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code had been registered against Neeraj Bawana’s father Prem Singh.

Delhi Police have arrested jailed Delhi gangster Neeraj Bawana’s father Prem Singh in connection with an Arms Act case, police said on Friday. Around two weeks ago, police had recovered two vehicles along with arms and ammunition from Bawana village, in the premises of a property owned by Prem Singh. Police said their investigation revealed that one of the recovered vehicles -- Mahindra Scorpio, whose body was modified to make it bullet proof -- was registered in the name of the gangster’s father. Singh was arrested on Thursday.

Neeraj Bawana is one of the most notorious gangsters of Delhi. He is currently lodged in Tihar jail. (HT Photo)

A senior police officer said that a case under Arms Act and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code had been registered and an associate of the gangster identified as Sachin alias Golu, 23, native of Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli was arrested. He told police that he joined the gang sometime in July and was staying in a house in Bawana, which he later learnt was registered in Singh’s name. Bawana’s father, Prem Singh, is a former Delhi Transport Corporation bus driver.

“After his arrest, Sachin led police to the house where we allegedly found two vehicles, a Mahindra Scorpio and MG Hector. The Scorpio was registered in the name of Neeraj Bawana’s father. This was not a bullet proof car manufactured or sold by the company. Initial investigation has revealed that the car was taken to some place in the NCR region and body armour was added to make it bullet proof. We are investigating who made the changes in the vehicle. The person’s identity will also help us identify the other criminals who have made such modification in the cars,” the officer said.

From the car, police had seized four country made pistols, 79 cartridges, two cars, two spare magazines of sophisticated firearms and five-barrel cleaning rods. Investigating officials said that Sachin revealed that the modified car was used by relatives and associates of Neeraj Bawana as it offered them better protection in attacks from rival gangs.

Delhi police officers who have arrested gangsters in the past said that there are many private automobile workshops, especially in Punjab and parts of Delhi where cars are modified to make it bullet proof. The workshops offer basic level protection to the more expensive ones, in which armour is added to the vehicle’s full body. The changes in the extensive modification include bullet proof window shields and blast resistant doors.

Neeraj Bawana who is lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail is one of top city gangsters. Last month, when National Investigation Agency(NIA) conducted a raid at the hideouts of different gangsters in the NCR region, a team had also raided Bawana’s house. Until his arrest in 2015, Bawana was one of Delhi’s most wanted gangsters.