A 38-year-old arms supplier and a member of inter-State gang of robbers was arrested on Monday after a brief exchange of fire near Shanti Van Chowk in central Delhi, the police said.
The accused has been identified as Raju, a resident of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh. He was absconding in a case of Arms Act in Vasant Vihar after jumping bail granted to him due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The police received information that Raju would come on a scooter to Geeta Colony flyover from Shanti Van, following which a team was deployed.
“Raju was spotted and asked to surrender. The accused left the scooter, whipped out a pistol and fired at the police. The police retaliated in which Raju received injuries on his legs. He was rushed to Lok Nayak Hospital,” DCP (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said.
Five semi-automatic pistols and four live cartridges have been recovered from the accused. A total seven rounds were fired — four by the accused and three by the police. The scooter was found stolen from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, the police said.
Raju was previously involved in more than two dozen criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, armed robbery/dacoity, snatching and arms smuggling, in Delhi and U.P., the police said.
Five criminal cases have been registered against Raju in Delhi — two of robbery/dacoity, one of attempt to murder and two under the Arms Act.
He had procured the pistols, recovered from him, from an arms manufacturer-cum-supplier Richhpal Singh of Burahanpur in M.P., Kushwah said.
It has also been revealed that Raju, in conspiracy with a person of Bijnor, had planned to execute a contract killing of a person in Haridwar.
It was found that a part of firearms recovered from accused were supposed to be supplied to two persons — one in Delhi and other in Meerut, the police said, adding that further investigation is under way.
