SENSATIONAL FIRING INCIDENT CASE OF PS PUNJABI BAGH OF SHIROMANI AKALI DAL EX-MLA SOLVED WITHIN 72 HOURS, 2 PISTOLS ALONG WITH 06 LIVE CARTRIDGES & ONE STOLEN MOTORCYCLE RECOVERED, THIS INTERNATIONAL SYNDICATE EXPLOITS JUVENILES AND UNEMPLOYED YOUTH, LURING THEM TO JOIN GANGS FOR CHEAP PUBLICITY WHILE THE EXTORTED MONEY BEING USED BY GANG FOR LEADING A LUXURIOUS LIFE AND FOR BUYING PROPERTIES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES,  ONLY THE INTERNATIONAL HANDLERS RUNNING THE SHOW ARE ENJOYING THE PROCEEDS OF CRIME

Face2News/New Delhi

A team of NDR/Crime Branch has arrested two desperate and dreaded criminals namelyAakash @ Kassa, 23 years, R/o VPO Bhatgaon, Sonipat, Haryana, and  Nitesh @ Sinti, 19 years, R/o Village Ghikara, Tehsil Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, hails from Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar Gang.

Deep Malhotra

On 03.12.2023, 02 miscreants fired at the main gate of the house of SAD Ex-MLA (Faridkot, Punjab) at West Punjabi Bagh, Delhi. 04 empty cartridges were found near the main gate of the house. In this regard, a case FIR No. 865/2023, U/s 336/34 IPC and 25/27 Arms Act, PS Punjabi Bagh was registered. It is revealed that the Ex-MLA (Faridkot, Punjab) is in the business of liquor in Punjab. He got some threatening/extortion voice messages on his WhatsApp number.

Earlier, his Punjab based two liquor shops were burnt by the members of Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar Gang and in this regard, two separate cases were registered in Punjab.
 
Keeping in view the sensitivity of the firing incident, the sleuths of NDR, Crime Branch, who had earlier also detected such sensational gang incidents were tasked to work on this incident. Sensing the gravity of the case and the fear created in public and business community, swift action was taken. CCTV footages of the incident were checked and analyzed. Manual as well as technical surveillance was mounted on suspects. The hard work and inputs lead to identifications of the gangsters.

On the basis of technical analysis, information was developed and presence of one sharp shooter named Aakash @ Kassa, 23 years, who involved in the firing incident of PS Punjabi Bagh, Delhi was traced in VPO Bhatgaon, District Sonipat, Haryana.

Accordingly, a team led by Insp. Rampal comprising of SI’s Hemant Kumar, Parmod, Mukesh, ASI’s Narender, Amit Gulia, Ombir, Amit, Narender and HC’s Dharmender, Siddarth and Ashish under the close supervision of ACP Umesh Barthwal was constituted by DCP Amit Goel to nab the criminals.

Finally, based on manual information as well as technical surveillance the accused named Aakash @ Kassa, 23 years, R/o VPO Bhatgaon, Sonipat, Haryana, was apprehended from his village. During sustained interrogation, he confessed his involvement in the firing incident case of PS Punjabi Bagh, Delhi. He also disclosed the identity of other co-accused.

At his instance, other co-accused named Nitesh @ Sinti, 19 years, R/o Village Ghikara, Tehsil Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, was also apprehended.02 pistols along with 07 live cartridges and 01 stolen motorcycle used in commission of crime were recovered. The recovered motorcycle was found stolen in case FIR 016030/2019, U/s 379 IPC from PS Palam Village, Delhi.

Mr. Ravindra Singh Yadav,  IPS, Special Commissioner of Police Crime Branch,. said, this international crime syndicate has been carrying out its extortion activities in Delhi, NCR, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Rajasthan. The modus operandi of the gang has become refined and sophisticated. Since they are working from overseas, it has made it difficult for the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to track their foreign funds. Their extortion rackets are being run with polished professionalism and strict defining of roles and responsibilities of each member. 

It is also pertained to mention that the gangsters are taking utmost precautions to thwart police in nabbing them. They act under layers and layers of conduits while arranging logistics. Even these sharp shooters were unknown to each other one week prior to incident.

INTERROGATION: During the course of interrogation, accused Aakash @ Kassa, 23 years, R/o VPO Bhatgaon, Sonipat, Haryana disclosed that he was lodged in jail in an attempt to murder case of PS Mohana, Haryana. During jail period, he met the gang members of Goldy Brar-Lawrence Bishnoi gang and joined the gang.

Recently, he got instructions from Goldy Brar through Signal App to meet one Nitesh @ Sinti and other members of the gang to execute their plan. Ex-MLA (Faridkot, Punjab) Mr. Deep Malhotra, was running liquor business in Punjab and was not paying the extortion money as demanded by them.

In order to spread terror in business community, Goldy Brar arranged these sharp shooters for the above task. To execute the task assigned by Goldy Brar, the accused persons were visiting the nearby areas and doing reccee of the house of ex-MLA. After a long watch and to execute their plan, on 03.12.2023, they fired on the main gate of the house of EX-MLA of Punjab.

GANG PREFACE: Mr. Ravindra Singh Yadav,  IPS, Special Commissioner of Police Crime Branch,. said, this international crime syndicate has been carrying out its extortion activities in Delhi, NCR, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Rajasthan. The modus operandi of the gang has become refined and sophisticated. Since they are working from overseas, it has made it difficult for the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to track their foreign funds. Their extortion rackets are being run with polished professionalism and strict defining of roles and responsibilities of each member. The extortion rackets run by them can be broken into various sub-parts as explained below:

* First of all, their agents/middlemen identify rich and vulnerable targets. These targets are selected on the basis of their financial conditions and paying capacity. They are usually bookies, gamblers, real estate dealers, builders, land grabbers, jewellers, businessmen, etc.

* After selection of the targets, they send their demand depending on the capacity. The demand is delivered either through phone call or through letter or verbally through a visit.

*The highlight of the demand is the explicit threat and warning that if the demands are not met, there would be grave consequences. Most of the time the name of their leader Lawrence Bishnoi is taken to instill fear in the minds of the businessmen.
*The agents and middlemen try to negotiate sometimes if the businessman is willing to pay without complaining. The amount is transferred abroad through Hawala channels.
*In case there is no response from the businessman, the foot soldiers are recruited or hired and prepared to further threaten and scare the targets.
*These new recruits are mainly juveniles from the rural areas of Haryana or Rajasthan or Delhi in the age group of 15-20 years. Most of the immature youth are lured just for the sake of getting a kick of being gang members.
*They are contacted through internet based services and told to reach a particular location and contact further for directions.
*Their locations are changed frequently and they are never told the identities of persons providing logistics.
* Weapons are supplied to them through masked or fake identity persons, or they are told to collect firearms, bike, etc. from a remote location (such as a landmark tree in a field).
*They are told to reccee the target’s house or office or shop. Once the reccee has been done, they are told the exact date and time when they have to fire on the window panes or doors or ceiling etc. of the target’s house/office to scare him to pay the extortion amount.
*After the task, they are told to quickly exit and harboured at changing locations before they are assigned a new task.
*The whole machinery works in a well-oiled synchronized manner with no communication between the different parts. The handler operates from abroad using international members. The handler coordinates with different gang members – whether it is the recruiting agent or the logistics provider or the shooter. The phones and SIMs are frequently changed besides the locations.
* The funds are being collected abroad in safe havens through Hawala routes by the gang members who have escaped overseas through the donkey (mule) route or other alternatives.

KNOW THE ACCUSED:

Accused Aakash @ Kassa, 23 years, R/o VPO Bhatgaon, Sonipat, Haryana has studied upto B.A. 2nd year. He is a desperate criminal and previously involved in 04 criminal cases. Recently, he got released from jail and is involved in the firing incident of PS Punjabi Bagh, Delhi. He was working on the directions of gang members of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang.

2Nitesh @ Sinti, 19 years, R/o Village Ghikara, Tehsil Charkhi Dadri, Haryana has studied upto 12th class only. He has personal enmity with some persons of his village, so he joined the gang members of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang and got initiated in the world of crime.

PREVIOUS INVOLVEMENTS: Accused Aakash @ Kasa wanted in FIR No. 693/2018, dated 14.12.2018 U/s 323/34/506 IPC, PS Sadar Sonipat, Haryana., FIR No. 308/2019, dated 07.09.2019 U/s 148/149/506 IPC & 25 Arms Act, PS Civil Line, Sonipat, Haryana.  FIR No. 51/2020, dated 30.01.2020 U/s 186/353/225/332/506/ 34 IPC, PS Sadar Sonipat, Haryana. FIR No. 286/2020, dated 20.06.2023 U/s 148/149/307/323/506 IPC & 25 Arms Act, PS Sadar Sonipat, Haryana.

RECOVERY:  02 automatic pistols along with 06 live cartridges. , one  stolen motorcycle used in commission of crime.

POLICE ADVISED:  The law enforcement agencies have exposed the exploitation of youth by these gangs. The young recruits feel they will be able to make a name in their peer group by joining the gang. They are not able to foresee the evil trap and dark future ahead. Once they are trapped, there is no escape. Rest of their short lived life is spent behind bars or in the courtrooms. Their families have no option but to abandon them as they would not like to face prosecution for their illegal activities. They never get the money extorted. They lead a hand to mouth existence begging for their daily expenses, while the kingpins and handlers amass wealth and enjoy luxurious life abroad.