The Hubli police, based on a tip-off, have arrested six persons allegedly working for underworld don Bannanje Raja and recovered three pistols and 18 rounds of ammunition from them.
Police Commissioner Ravindra Prasad told presspersons here on Saturday that barring the driver of the car in which the arms were being transported, all the arrested were involved in shootout cases in various districts and were supplying arms and ammunition for carrying out contract killing of an arecanut merchant in Shimoga.
He identified the arrested as Ijaj Bandenawaz Patel (26) of Nandral in Indi taluk of Bijapur district, Vilas Keshav Rathod (23) of Arakeri Tanda, Sangamesh Nilappa Nasi (28) of Bijapur, Hussein alias Gidda Saifan Sheikh (25) and Abbas Ali Mohammad Mulla alias Sheikh (25) of Halasangi in Indi taluk of Bijapur district, and Hazarat Ali alias Mohammad Sheikh Momin (24) of Nekarnagar in Old Hubli.
Mr. Prasad said that barring the car driver, Sangamesh, all others were involved in shootout cases.
The Police Commissioner said the case was related to a threat call made to an arecanut merchant in Shimoga.
Based on the information provided by the Shimoga police, the special police team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police A.S. Ghori and Assistant Commissioner of Police A.R. Badiger, intercepted the six persons near Varur on the outskirts of Hubli and seized the arms and ammunition and the car.
The Hubli police handed over the arrested to the Shimoga police.
Case against RajaStaff Correspondent from Shimoga writes:
The Shimoga police have registered a case against Raja on the charge of making an extortion call the arecanut merchant. Superintendent of Police Koushalendra Kumar said on Saturday that a person who introduced himself as Bannanje Raja called the merchant on Friday, threatened him and demanded money from him. The caller spoke in Tulu. Following this, the merchant registered a complaint with the Vinobha Nagar police. The police have arrested Navule Ananda and Achande Mahesha, alleged aides of Raja, in this connection.
