Man linked to arms gang arrested

Delhi Police arrested Praveen Kumar, linked to arms trafficking and ISI, for supplying weapons to gang members; 14 suspects arrested so far.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested a key operative allegedly linked to a transnational arms trafficking and terror module with alleged connections to gangster Rohit Chaudhary and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), police said on Sunday.

A semi-automatic pistol made in Italy along with five live cartridges of .32 bore were also recovered (Photo for representation)

The accused, identified as Praveen Kumar alias Tittu, 45, was apprehended by a team of the Anti Robbery and Snatching Cell (ARSC) of the Crime Branch over a case registered earlier this year under provisions of the BNS, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said, “Praveen Kumar had emerged as an important operative in the syndicate and was allegedly facilitating the circulation of sophisticated foreign-made weapons among gang members.”

“He was previously carrying a reward of ₹2 lakh on his arrest and had remained on the radar of Delhi Police for his alleged role in organised criminal activities,” the officer added.

A semi-automatic pistol made in Italy along with five live cartridges of .32 bore were recovered from his possession, said police, adding that he was allegedly working as a receiver and supplier of sophisticated foreign-made weapons for the Shahbaz Ansari-led network.

Investigators said Kumar was a close associate of jailed gangster Rohit Chaudhary, a known criminal operating in parts of south Delhi, including Aya Nagar, Pushp Vihar and Ambedkar Nagar.

Police said Kumar initially came in contact with co-accused Nishant Arora in jail and later allegedly began procuring sophisticated firearms after securing bail.

Police said 13 other accused persons had already been arrested in the case earlier, with the recovery of 24 firearms, including a sub-machine gun, and 216 live cartridges. With Kumar’s arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the case has risen to 14, while police have recovered 25 foreign-made sophisticated weapons and 221 cartridges so far.

“The investigation has revealed that the network operated across state borders and had transnational linkages. We are continuing efforts to identify the entire supply chain and financial trail,” Yadav said.

Police records show Kumar was previously involved in multiple criminal cases in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, including offences related to murder attempt, extortion, rioting and Arms Act violations.