Singapore-based executive’s murder in Faridabad: Pistol recovered from Punjab, say police

The pistol, along with a magazine containing six live cartridges, was recovered from Samana in Patiala based on information provided by the accused, Mohan Sharma, 42, during questioning

Police recovered a pistol suspected to have been used in the murder of Singapore-based executive Paramjith Dhankhar, 43, from Punjab’s Patiala district on Monday night and are investigating whether the accused possessed a third firearm that was not registered against his arms licence, officials said.

Paramjith Dhankhar, 43, was shot dead at his home in Faridabad on Saturday.

The pistol, along with a magazine containing six live cartridges, was recovered from Samana in Patiala based on information provided by the accused, Mohan Sharma, 42, during questioning.

Dhankhar was shot dead in the stilt parking area of his residential building in Faridabad’s Sector 21C on Friday night following a prolonged dispute with Sharma over the latter’s German Shepherd pup allegedly defecating in the common area.

A senior Faridabad police officer said Sharma had disclosed during questioning that the pistol recovered from the crime scene was not the weapon used to kill Dhankhar.

“After allegedly killing the victim, Sharma had fled in his car to Patiala. He disposed of the murder weapon and returned to Faridabad, where he was finally arrested from Dealer Chowk in Ballabgarh on Saturday,” the officer said.

“The other pistol recovered from the spot, which was found in a weapon casing with a loaded magazine and 59 live rounds, will also be sent for ballistic testing to ascertain Sharma was not lying,” the officer said.

Two more magazines, which police suspect Sharma emptied while firing at Dhankhar, were also recovered from the crime scene.

Police said Sharma was issued an arms licence in December 2023, against which a pistol and a 12-bore gun were registered. However, investigators were yet to establish how he came to possess a second pistol, which was not recorded in the licence database.

Officials said they were examining whether the third firearm was illegally possessed and why Sharma had not disclosed its existence.

Police are also scrutinising the circumstances under which Sharma was granted the arms licence.

Sharma, who operated a copper scrap business in Rajasthan and was involved in real estate and construction in Faridabad, was granted the licence in 2023 based on an assessment of threats to his safety, police said.

“We are checking the records to establish on what grounds he was issued the licence, for which cancellation proceedings have already been started,” an officer said.

Investigators have also received information that Sharma frequently flaunted his firearms and allegedly fired shots into the air during parties at a property adjoining his residence, where he operated an office.

Police said no resident had previously lodged a complaint about these alleged incidents.

Dhankhar, a former Asia-Pacific business head at Tech Mahindra and senior vice-president at Vietnam-based FPT Software, had returned from Singapore on November 5 to celebrate Diwali with his family and attend his nephew’s wedding on November 24.

Police said the two families had been involved in disputes for nearly three months. The dispute escalated after Sharma allegedly damaged an entrance gate installed by Dhankhar about 10 days before the murder.

On Friday, Dhankhar and Sharma were summoned to the Ankhir police post following a complaint by the former. Police said Sharma allegedly misbehaved with officers and threatened Dhankhar.

Later that evening, Sharma allegedly called Dhankhar downstairs on the pretext of moving his car and opened fire when he arrived with his son Shaurya. Police said at least nine bullets struck Dhankhar, killing him on the spot. Shaurya escaped by taking cover behind a vehicle.

Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police, said Sharma was remanded in police custody for two days after being produced before a court on Sunday.

“His remand period will end on Tuesday but crime branch will pray to extend his remand period,” he said.