Science grad held for arms trafficking

New Delhi: A 25-year-old science graduate has been arrested from central Delhi's Karol Bagh for his involvement in supplying illegal arms.

Police said the accused was identified as Shiv Pratap Singh, a resident of Sangam Vihar, for whose arrest a cash reward of Rs 1 Lakh had been declared by the Commissioner of Police. A loaded sophisticated illegal pistol and five live cartridges were recovered from him.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwah stated on Sunday that Singh was arrested on the basis of a tip that he would come to Karol Bagh on January 23 on a motorcycle to meet an associate.

Acting on the tip, the Special Cell team acted swiftly and nabbed him from the spot.

The DCP further said that during interrogation, the accused told police that he is graduate from Agra University and completed his BSc in Biology.

During his graduation, he came into contact with Shiv Kumar, a criminal from Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, through some college friends.

Through Shiv Kumar, Singh came into the contact with other criminals, including one Rifakat, and began supplying illegal arms to criminals.

In 2016, a team of the Special Cell arrested Shiv Kumar and his associate Kalu Singh when they had come to Delhi to deliver a supply of illegal arms to some criminals.

"On initial verification, Singh was found to be involved in three cases of Arms and Goonda Act of Uttar Pradesh. His other criminal antecedents are being verified," said Kushwah.

Police said that in order to cut the supply of illegal arms and ammunition, a special drive has been launched by Special Cell against traffickers, during which several interstate arms syndicates have been busted and large cache of arms have been recovered.