New Delhi: Delhi Police’s Special Cell has arrested four men from Punjab and Delhi for conspiring to carry out a terror attack in the National Capital at the behest of Pakistan-based ISI handler Shahzad Bhatti, officials said Thursday.
Officials said the accused were allegedly operating under the directions of handlers across the border and were tasked with carrying out terror-related activities in Delhi.
The four accused have been identified as Shubdeep Singh (23), Gurjant Singh (22), Sajan Singh (28) and Gaganpreet (24). Three of them are residents of Punjab, while one was apprehended from Delhi.
During the operation, police recovered two foreign-made pistols, nine live cartridges and five mobile phones from their possession.
According to police, the arrests were made following specific intelligence inputs regarding the activities of the group. Acting on the information, a Special Cell team led by Inspectors Satish Rana and Ashok, under the supervision of ACP Vivek Kumar Tyagi, conducted coordinated raids at multiple locations in Delhi and Punjab.
The first breakthrough came in Punjab’s Amritsar, where Shubdeep Singh was arrested. Police claimed to have recovered a foreign-made pistol, live cartridges and multiple mobile phones from him. Based on his interrogation and subsequent investigation, police arrested his associates, Gurjant Singh and Sajan Singh, from different locations in Punjab.
The fourth accused, Gaganpreet, was later apprehended in Delhi April 24.
During sustained interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that they had been in regular contact with Pakistani handlers through foreign phone numbers to evade surveillance by Indian agencies.
Investigators further claimed that the group received consignments of arms and narcotics dropped by drones from across the international border.
Police alleged that one of the accused, Gaganpreet, had conducted reconnaissance of police stations and religious places in Delhi and had been assigned the task of carrying out a firing incident in the national capital as part of the alleged conspiracy.
According to investigators, Shubdeep Singh, also known as Vishal, is a resident of Tarn Taran district, located close to the India-Pakistan border. Police said he had previously been arrested in a narcotics-related case and was allegedly involved in receiving drone consignments carrying weapons and narcotic substances.
Gurjant Singh, alias Rishi, also hails from Tarn Taran, while his cousin Sajan Singh, alias Honey, is a resident of Amritsar.
Police alleged that both were actively involved in receiving consignments of arms delivered through drones. Officials further stated that both have previously been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Investigators also alleged that Gaganpreet, a resident of Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab, remained in touch with Pakistani handlers through social media platforms. He was allegedly instructed to prepare videos of police establishments and other sensitive locations in Delhi for further planning.
A case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act.
Further details are awaited.
IANS
