Delhi: Arms trafficker held; 5 pistols, 200 live cartridges seized

Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested an illegal arms trafficker from the Nizamuddin area of the national capital and seized five pistols of 0.32 bore and 200 live cartridges of 0.315 bore and 0.32 mm respectively.

The accused has been identified as Ram Krishna Singh alias Master, aged 58 years, is originally a resident of Bihar's Bhojpur.

As per the Delhi Police, the accused was previously involved in arms/ammunition trafficking cases in Munger (Bihar) and Delhi and was previously found supplying illicit arms/ammunition to criminals of various states like Bihar, Delhi, and NCR including Naxalites of Odisha, Gadchiroli (Maharashtra).

"During the investigation of various heinous cases, it has been observed that criminals/ gangsters of Delhi/NCR are using sophisticated illegal firearms that are very frequently being supplied to them by the illegal arms traffickers of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar," the police added.

In order to check the supply of illegal firearms/ammunition in the National Capital Region, a special drive was being carried out by the Special Cell of Delhi Police against illegal firearms/ammunition traffickers, which resulted in a huge recovery of arms/ammunition in the past.

"During one such operation, it was learnt that a notorious arms/ammunition trafficker Ram Krishna Singh alias Master resident of Bihar, previously involved in trafficking of illicit arms/ammunition to criminals of various states like Bihar, Delhi, and NCR including Naxalites of Odisha, Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) has again activated his syndicate and started trafficking arms/ammunition to criminals of Delhi/NCR since June/July 2021. Accordingly, the sources were deployed in Delhi/NCR and other states to apprehend him," Delhi Police informed.

Based on the information, a team of the Special Cell nabbed Singh from a road towards Gurudwara Damdama Sahib at Nizamuddin, Delhi along with 05 pistols of .32 bore and 200 live cartridges to deliver illicit arms/ammunition to notorious criminals of Delhi/NCR.

The police also informed that Singh is a B.Com graduate and had also taught in various private schools in districts Arrah and Bhojpur of Bihar during 1989 to 2014.

"During 2015, he came in contact with a criminal of his area who lured him in this arms/ammunition trafficking network in Bihar and he agreed to earn easy and quick money. Initially, he kept his network in Bihar but due to high demand from criminals/Naxalites of various states, he extended his realm up to Odisha, Maharashtra, and other states including Delhi/NCR, and became famous with code name Master," Delhi Police said.

"During 2018, accused Ram Krishna Singh alias Master was apprehended by the Special Cell/NDR along with 407 live cartridges. On the basis of his revelations, a notorious illicit ammunition trafficker Sanjay Singh resident of Ara, Bihar, carrying a reward of Rs 1 Lakh was apprehended from the area, a Naxalite Ajit Akhil Ray, carrying a reward of Rs 2 Lakhs was apprehended from Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, and Naxalite Raj Bahadur, carrying reward Rs 1 Lakh from Ara, Bihar with the total seizure of 506 cartridges of INSAS, SLR and other sophisticated weapons including pistols," they added.

Further, it was informed that during his stay in Tihar jail during the year 2018, he developed contacts with notorious gangsters/criminals of Delhi/NCR, and as per the demand of these criminals, he used to supply arms/ammunition to them in Delhi/NCR.

"Post-Covid, during June/July 2021, accused revived his chain of gangsters/criminals of Delhi/NCR and started selling arms/ammunition. Since June 2021, he has sold over 300 cartridges and 10 pistols to criminals of Delhi/NCR other than the present seizure of arms and ammunition," the police informed.

The accused has further revealed that he purchases a pistol of .32 bore for 15/20 thousand per piece and further used it to sell to criminals of Delhi/NCR for Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per piece. He is found procuring illicit cartridges from one contact of Firozabad, UP for Rs 200 per piece and used to sell it at Rs 350-400 per piece to criminals of Delhi/NCR, the police said.

Further investigation to identify all the forward and backward linkages of this arms/ammunition network is underway.

( With inputs from ANI )