NEW DELHI: The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has arrested a key operative of a Pakistan-based illegal arms trafficking and terror module allegedly linked to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, officials said on Thursday.
The accused reportedly acted as an intermediary for jailed gang members and helped arrange illegal foreign-made firearms and ammunition for the gang. In continuation of an investigation of a case of Arms Act and UAPA linked to the international arms trafficking and terror module of Pakistan-based Shahbaz Ansari, Deepak Khatri alias Deepak Nanda, 45, of Paschim Vihar has been arrested.
The accused was detained at the IGI Airport police station in pursuance of a look out circular notice issued in this case. He was found actively associated with this arm trafficking module and Bishnoi. Till now, 18 accused persons have been arrested and 32 sophisticated foreign made arms & ammunition—including two sub machine guns and 363 live cartridges—have been recovered in this case.
Notably, Khatri’s wife is an advocate and part of Bishnoi’s legal team. During the investigation, Khatri’s role and activities have emerged as significant in relation to the network associated with the jailed gangster and his associates.
The material disclosed by the accused indicates that, over a period of time, he developed close personal and professional ties with members of the Bishnoi gang and allegedly acted as an intermediary between incarcerated gang members and their associates outside jail.
Khatri acted as a channel for the exchange of messages between Bishnoi and persons associated with him outside jail. Thus, his alleged role was not confined merely to providing legal assistance; rather, he claims to have facilitated communication between an incarcerated gang leader and his associates. He disclosed that similar assistance was extended to other gang members.
A channel for talks
Khatri acted as a channel for the exchange of messages between Bishnoi and persons associated with him outside jail. He claims to have helped talks between the jailed gangster and his aides.
