The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch on Sunday claimed to have busted the supply chain of illegal firecrackers trade in different areas of the national Capital with the arrest of three people and recovery of more than 1,300 kg banned crackers ahead of the upcoming festival of Diwali.

According to the police, 1323 kg of banned crackers were seized from two godowns while the owner of both godowns and driver who used to supply the illicit fire crackers in Delhi and NCR was arrested. The accused were identified as 40 year old Manoj Kumar, a graduate and resident of Delhi’s Nangloi, Sanjay Atri, an illiterate and resident of Haryana’s Rohtak, and Vipin Kumar, who studied upto class 10th and resident of Delhi’s Rohini.

DCP (Crime) Satish Kumar said, “On October 11, a secret information regarding running a racket of illegal firecrackers trading in Village Baprola, Outer Delhi. Information was further developed through field sources. It was revealed that accused Manoj Kumar is running an illegal trade of banned firecrackers in the area and he further supplies these illegal firecrackers all over Delhi.”

A case under section 288 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) of BNS and 9B of Explosive Act-1884 was registered. “During the course of investigation, the accused Manoj along with Sanjay Atri (driver of the offending vehicle DL-1-LP-7813 Mahendra PickUp, by which he used to supply the illegal firecrackers in all over Delhi) were arrested,” Kumar stated.

He added that during interrogation with the accused/driver of the offending vehicle, it was revealed that Atri used to supply the banned firecrackers in the area of Prem Naga and Kirari. “A raid was also conducted at a godown situated at Main Majri Road, Roop Vihar, Mubarakpur Dabas, Kirari, Delhi. A huge cache of illegal firecrackers were also recovered from there,” a senior police officer said.

The officer said that during investigation the owner of godown Vipin Kumar was also arrested. “A total of 1323 kg of illegal firecrackers were recovered during the entire operation and we have launched further investigation into the matter," the DCP added.