Contract killer who shot dead Ghaziabad councillor arrested

The 32-year-old gangster from Uttar Pradesh, who allegedly shot dead the former councillor of Ghaziabad Municipal Council, Hari Mohan Kaushik in October 2014, has been arrested from near South-east Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, the police said on Monday.

The accused was identified as Bhupender Singh, one of the most wanted shooters from Ghaziabad’s Loni area. Based on a tip-off, the police arrested him from near Sarai Kale Khan ISBT on the evening of March 7. A pistol and five live cartridges were also recovered from his possession, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

According to the police, Hari Mohan Kaushik was accused of killing his nephew Prashant Kaushik, son of Samajwadi Party leader Sudhir Kaushik, over a monetary dispute. Prashant had reportedly withdrawn Rs 28 lakh from their family’s real estate firm, despite being forbidden to do so by Hari Mohan. The latter had then allegedly killed Prashant at his residence in Ghaziabad’s Shastri Nagar with his own 9 mm pistol. Later, when Hari Mohan was out on bail, one Bodesh Sharma allegedly hatched a conspiracy to avenge the murder of Prashant Kaushik and hired Bhupender Singh to kill Hari Mohan. On October 16, 2014, Bhupender, along with his associates Chunnu, Rajbir and Billu, shot Hari Mohan at his Shastri Nagar residence. However, Bhupinder’s accomplices are yet to be arrested. The Ghaziabad police have been informed about Bhupinder’s arrest and further investigation into the case is in progress, said DCP Yadav.