Aide of gangster lodged in Delhi jail held for attack on BJP worker in Greater Noida

The Gautam Budh Nagar police on Sunday arrested a person for allegedly carrying out a grievous attack on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker in Greater Noida earlier this month

The Gautam Budh Nagar police on Sunday arrested a person for allegedly carrying out a grievous attack on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker in Greater Noida earlier this month. The suspect, identified as Ashwini aka Rinku, resident of Najafgarh in Delhi, is a close aide of gangster Randeep Bhati who is currently lodged in the Mandoli Jail in the capital and it was Bhati who planned the attack, police said.

Aide of gangster lodged in Delhi jail held for attack on BJP worker in Greater Noida

According to the police, Bhati planned the attack on BJP worker Singga Pandit aka Sanchit Sharma, because of a fight they had four months ago.

“Some of Bhati’s relatives had some business contracts with Pandit’s brother Sumit Sharma’s firm and hence Bhati and Pandit were in touch with each other since the past one year. However, their relations soured about four months ago over a business dispute. During investigation, Rinku told us that Bhati planned the attack on Pandit because the latter allegedly made casteist remarks about his family and also abused him during their argument four months ago,” said Anil Kumar, station house officer, Beta-2 police station.

Pandit was allegedly attacked by around 11 unidentified assailants in Greater Noida on the night of November 3. He was hospitalised with broken bones and severe injuries after which an FIR was lodged at the Beta 2 police station and an investigation taken up.

Earlier on Sunday, the special task force arrested three people -- Harpal, a resident of Rewari in Haryana; Gaurav Chandel, a resident of Faridabad, and Gaurav Bainsla, a resident of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh -- from Dehradun, in connection with the attack. An SUV used in the attack and two pistols were recovered from the suspects, said police.

Abhishek Verma, deputy commissioner of police, Greater Noida, said, “It was informed to us by officials that Harpal has admitted to the attack and revealed that it was planned by Randeep Bhati from Mandoli jail. Haripal met Bhati in jail and took ₹5 lakh from him to carry out the attack on Pandit. After getting out on bail in October, Haripal planned to attack Pandit on October 28, along with his accomplices Chandel, Bainsla, Rinku and others, who were also promised a sum of money for carrying out the attack.”

However, the attack could not be carried out on the said date, after which they decided to execute the attack on November 3. “The suspects carried out a recce near Pandit’s home in Junpat village in Greater Noida and when he left in his car for some work, they attacked him near the ATS roundabout under Beta-2 police station limits,” said the officer.

Acting on directions of the suspects arrested in Dehradun, the police nabbed suspect Rinku on Sunday evening.

“Suspect Rinku was arrested from Pari Chowk, Greater Noida, on Sunday. An illegal pistol along with some ammunition was seized from him. He is an active member of Randeep Bhati gang and was involved in the attack on Pandit,” said Kumar.

Rinku has been involved in around a dozen cases of loot, robbery, illegal arms possession in DelhiNCR and has been jailed previously, the police said.

“While four people have been arrested, police teams have been deployed to nab the other six people involved in the attack,” said SHO Kumar.

“During investigation, Rinku revealed that they were asked to carry out a fatal attack on Pandit and if that was not possible, then to break his legs,” added the officer.

The suspect has been booked under sections of assault, attempt to murder and other relevant sections of of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.