Bathinda: Punjab Police on Sunday arrested two gangsters out to kill an Uttarakhand businessman on a contract with guns, said officials.
They were associated with gangster-turned-terrorist Arsh Dalla and Sukha Duneke, said the police. Dalla was in January this year designated a terrorist by the Union home ministry.
The two gangsters have been identified as Shimla Singh of Granghana village in Mansa and Harjeet Singh, alias Gora, of Bhadoliyanwali village in Fatehabad, Haryana, the police said.
Police have recovered three pistols – a .32 bore, a .315 bore (country-made), and a 12 bore (country-made) – with live cartridges and magazines from their possession. Police also found ₹1.9 lakh from them which they got as part of their contract, director general of police Gaurav Yadav said in a statement.
Bathinda counter-intelligence and Bathinda police arrested Shimla Singh at a checkpost in Jassi Pau Wali village. He was on his way to meet a friend when he was arrested, Yadav said.
Assistant inspector general of police Simratpal Singh said during questioning, Shimla revealed that Arsh Dalla had hired him to kill a Kashipur-based businessman and asked him to meet his associate Sadhu Singh, who is currently lodged in Haldwani jail, for logistical support.
He said Dalla had sent ₹7 lakh to Shimla in two instalments of ₹4 lakh and ₹3 lakh to carry out the killing. Shimla gave ₹4 lakh to an unidentified person and ₹3 lakh to Harjeet Singh to arrange for six weapons for the task, he said.
At his instance, Punjab Police with the help of their Haryana counterparts arrested Harjeet Singh from his village in Haryana, he said.
A case under Sections 25(6), (7)/ 54/59 of the Arms Act and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at the Bathinda Sadar police station.