nWith the arrest of three persons, including the kingpin, the Delhi Police on Thursday claimed to have busted an inter-state syndicate involved in the illegal trade of arms and ammunition in the national Capital. Police has also recovered nineteen semi-automatic pistols of .32 bore and two revolvers of .32 bore along with 15 spare magazines from the possession of the accused.
The accused have been identified as Khilafat Ali (56), Furkan (49), both hailing from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Khalid (28), a resident of UP's Hapur.
After several incidents involving illegal fire arms were reported in city, Special Cell had launched a special drive to nab the illegal arms suppliers in Delhi and different parts of the country including Sendhwa, Khargone, Dhar and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Munger in Bihar.
According to Pramod Singh Kushwah, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Cell, Southern range, specific inputs were received about illegal activities of arms syndicate led by Khilafat and Furkan of UP.
"Acting on the inputs, manual surveillance was mounted to develop information about Khilafat, who is the kingpin of this syndicate and his associates. After two months of tireless effort, information was received about Khilafat and Furkan's next consignment. A trap was laid near Murga Mandi, Gazipur and they were arrested by the police", said the DCP.
"During interrogation they disclosed that they used to receive supply of pistols and revolvers from a resident of Sendhwa in MP. Khilafat and Furkan further disclosed that the said person was engaged in manufacturing of illegal weapons and supplied them in Delhi-NCR and the adjoining States," said the DCP.
"Both the above arms suppliers have been indulging in the supply of illegal arms for the last 20 years. Interrogation of Khilafat and Furkan further revealed that they used to purchase a pistol of Rs 10,000 from suppliers of MP," said the DCP.
"They further used to sell these pistols to various persons including criminals/gangsters of Delhi NCR for an amount ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per pistol", the DCP added.
Explaining their modus operandi, the DCP said that suppliers and receivers of illegal firearms have changed their modus operandi owing to constant pressure by the law enforcing agencies.
"It was also learnt that now a days, these suppliers have joined the hands with some transporters and truck drivers to smuggle the firearms. These trucks were being used by the gun runners in transporting firearms in Delhi NCR, UP, Haryana etc. from parts of MP, where these firearms are being manufactured", the DCP said.