BENGALURU: A 34-year-old Non-Resident Indian (NRI) from the United States was arrested by JC Nagar police for allegedly possessing seven live bullets illegally. The man had allegedly left behind a magazine containing the seven bullets at a hotel, after checking out on April 28.
The accused was identified as Arman Mutaahar. He had landed in India on April 22.
Police said that on May 6, JC Nagar police received a complaint from a hotel manager stating that Mutaahar and a woman had checked into a room on the night of April 27. The next morning, he vacated the room and later contacted the hotel, informing the staff that he had accidentally left behind a magazine loaded with seven live rounds of ammunition in the room.
The hotel staff immediately inspected the room and found the magazine. Despite repeatedly contacting him over the phone and informing him about it, he failed to collect it. Following this, the hotel manager filed a complaint, and police registered a case under the Arms Act.
Police said that after the complaint was filed, he was summoned for questioning. During interrogation, he allegedly admitted to illegally possessing the ammunition. He was subsequently taken into 10 days of police custody, and the ammunition, along with his passport, mobile phone, laptop, and other related documents, were seized.
He claimed that he had accidentally carried the ammunition. However, investigators are probing how he managed to bypass security checks at three international airports before landing in Bengaluru while carrying live ammunition. Police said he has no criminal background and was working at a private firm in the US. He is currently in judicial custody.