Police foils targeted killing of prosecution witness, 4 held

Delhi Police on Monday foiled a conspiracy to carry out a targeted killing of a key prosecution witness, allegedly planned from inside Mandoli Jail. The police have also arrested four people, including an incarcerated gangster identified as the mastermind of the entire plan.

The accused include Irfan alias Chhenu Pehalwan, who is lodged in Mandoli Jail, and his three alleged associates: Adeeb (22), Farman, and Usman. Police said the plot involved procuring weapons, arranging funds, and deploying shooters to eliminate a crucial witness in a pending criminal case.

According to police, the conspiracy came to light following specific intelligence inputs about an imminent plan to murder a protected witness. Acting on the tip-off, a police team conducted a late-night operation in the Shastri Park area on January 24. The operation led to the arrest of Adeeb, a resident of Chauhan Banger.

During the raid, police recovered a semi-automatic pistol and five live cartridges from Adeeb’s possession. A case under the Arms Act was registered, and further questioning led investigators to uncover the larger conspiracy allegedly orchestrated by Irfan from inside jail.

A senior police officer said that during interrogation, Adeeb disclosed that the weapon had been procured on the instructions of Irfan, a known gangster with a long criminal history. The weapon, police said, was meant to be used to eliminate a key witness whose testimony could adversely affect Irfan and his associates in an ongoing case. Adeeb also named his alleged accomplices, Farman and Aamir, who were reportedly involved in executing the plan. Police later clarified that Usman played a key logistical role in the conspiracy, particularly in arranging and transferring funds to the would-be shooters.

Investigators found that money for the planned killing was routed through an unusual channel to avoid suspicion. Police said the funds were delivered through a tea stall in Seelampur, which was allegedly used as a meeting and transfer point. Usman is a close associate of Irfan, and he is accused of delivering the money to the tea stall owner, from where it was to be distributed among those involved in the plot.

Following Adeeb’s disclosure, police intensified their probe and carried out follow-up raids. Farman was arrested on January 26, while Usman was apprehended on January 27. Based on evidence collected during the investigation, Irfan alias Chhenu Pehalwan was formally arrested in the case on January 28, despite already being in judicial custody in Mandoli Jail.

Police said the organised nature of the alleged conspiracy prompted them to invoke the stringent provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Sections 55, dealing with abetment of an offence, and 61(2), relating to criminal conspiracy, have been added to the case, reflecting the seriousness of the alleged crime.

Further investigation is underway to identify the intended target, whom police have not named due to security concerns.