DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Police have busted a Pakistan-backed weapon smuggling racket being operated by absconding smuggler Manjot Singh, alias Mannu, from Dubai with the arrest of its one operative, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here on Thursday.

The accused has been identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Kaka, a native of Tarn Taran. The police have also recovered three pistols -- two 9MM Glock and one .30 bore China-made pistol -- along with four cartridges.

DGP Yadav said following tip-off that a foreign-based individual, Manjot Singh, has been operating a weapon smuggling racket through Pakistan with the help of his India-based individuals, Amritsar Police have launched an intel-based operation and arrested the accused.

He said a preliminary investigation has revealed that Manjot Singh is the kingpin of this network and was using encrypted apps to contact his Pakistan-based weapon smugglers. The arrested accused used to retrieve weapon consignment dropped using drones from across the border and further supply it to the gangsters in several cities of Punjab at the directions of the accused Manjot, he added.

The accused is wanted by the Punjab Police in an NDPS case registered against him at Police Station Sarai Amanat Khan in Tarn Taran in 2022.

Moreover, he has also been facing a criminal case under the NDPS Act at Police Station Sarai Amanant Khan. The DGP said that police teams have also identified his accomplice and raids are being conducted to nab him.

Further investigations are ongoing to establish forward and backward linkages in this case, he added.

In this regard, a case was registered on Wednesday under Sections 25 and 25 (1) (a) of the Arms Act and section 61 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act at Police Station State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar.

(editor@dailyworld.in)