6 Chhota Shakeel’s sharpshooters arrested; in Delhi to kill Varun

Chhota Shakeel’s men in city to kill Varun

Gandhi’s lawyer, say police
Express News Service
Jul 06, 2009

New Delhi The six sharpshooters suspected to be members of the Chhota Shakeel gang, arrested on Friday night by the Special Cell, had come to the city to eliminate a prominent city-based lawyer who is the counsel for BJP Member of Parliament Varun Gandhi, senior police officers have confirmed.

Sources said they would be taking the arrested persons to Uttar Pradesh for investigation. If needed, they would also be taken for joint interrogation with Rashid Malabari, an aide of Chhota Shakeel who is presently in judicial custody in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, a Crime Branch team from Mumbai is on the way to the Capital to question the gang members. When asked about their alleged links with Rashid Malabari, Mumbai Crime Branch Joint Commissioner Rakesh Maria said, “I would not like to talk about it now. One of our teams is heading for Delhi.”

Rashid Malabari was arrested by the Mangalore Police in April this year for allegedly planning to kill Varun Gandhi and other leaders.

Delhi Police officers maintained silence on any other details regarding the arrests, and said they have been instructed not to speak to media in this regard. They also refused to divulge details of the arrested sharpshooters’ links with Malabari.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P N Aggarwal said, “We are carrying on investigation. I will not comment on this matter.”

On Sunday, Maneka Gandhi shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with regard to the perceived threat to Varun Gandhi’s life.

The six alleged sharpshooters were arrested from various places in the city and sophisticated weapons were recovered in their possession. The accused are being questioned and their call details are being checked. “We are also checking to see whether they made or received any international calls from Chhota Shakeel,” said a police source.

The Special Cell is currently raiding a few other spots in Delhi and NCR to look for accomplices who helped them with logistical support in the city.

The accused, Ram Shanker (hailing from Sant Kabir Nagar), Sajid (from Roorkee), Mirza, Latif and Dilshad (from Mumbai) and Pintoo Mandal have reportedly been working for Shakeel for a long time.