Techie working at Noida multinational firm among 3 held in interstate arms supply case

Amit Kaushik, Deputy Commissioner Of Police (Special Cell), said that Sharma, who worked with an MNC in Noida, was found to be the key source of supply of the live cartridges. “He procured ammunition from various local suppliers in Madhya Pradesh, and supplied it to his accomplices, including Choube and Singh,” he said.

The operation led by inspectors Vivekanand Pathak and Kuldeep Singh, under the supervision of ACP Rahul Kumar Singh, began on November 28, when Choube,  a native of Narmadapuram in MP, was arrested following a tip-off near the Sector-18 Metro Station in Rohini while he was delivering a consignment of five semi-automatic pistols and 200 live cartridges.

“During the interrogation, Choube revealed his connection to a local supplier of MP for illegal arms while naming Aviral Sharma of Agra as his illegal ammunition supplier. He admitted to further supplying the arms and ammunition to various individuals in Delhi and UP,” the DCP said.

Based on Choube’s statements, police raided Sharma’s hideout in Agra on November 30, and arrested him with 50 live cartridges in his possession, informed the officer. “During the questioning, he disclosed that he also supplied the ammunitions to  another man who he identified as Jitender Singh of Dholpur in Rajasthan.”

On December 2, Singh, a farmer, was arrested from Rajasthan, and police recovered 25 live cartridges from him.

“Singh was arrested earlier by the Special Cell in 2019 for a similar Arms Act case.  He has been booked under dacoity, robbery, attempt to murder, riots, and extortion, among other charges.  Meanwhile, Choube has been involved in the arms trade since 2013. He had previously been implicated in multiple criminal cases, including violations of the Arms Act in Jabalpur and Betul (MP),” the DCP said.

DCP Kaushik said further investigation was underway to find the supplier of Sharma and other associates of the network.