New Delhi, February 15 A 22-year-old alleged shooter linked to the Kaushal Chaudhary gang, who police claim was tasked with eliminating a Burari-based businessman as part of an organized extortion conspiracy, was arrested in Delhi's Dwarka, an official said on Sunday.
The accused, Kuldeep Singh of Bhalswa Dairy, was arrested following a targeted surveillance operation in Dwarka, he said.
Police said Singh is suspected to be a key operative and principal assailant linked to gang members operating from abroad.
During his arrest, police recovered one PX-30 automatic pistol, a 7.65 mm sophisticated pistol, and five live cartridges from his possession. A stolen scooter, allegedly being used by the accused, was also seized. A case under relevant provisions of the Arms Act has been registered, police said.
According to investigators, intelligence inputs suggested that foreign-based gangsters Pawan Shokeen and Gurdeep alias Paa Ji had activated their local network and were planning a targeted killing in Delhi.
Singh, who was allegedly earlier involved in a Rs 5-crore extortion-cum-firing case in Punjab in 2024, was assigned the task of eliminating a businessman in Burari to establish gang supremacy and expand extortion operations, police said.
Police laid a trap near an under-construction market in Dwarka's Sector-17 area on February 7. Singh allegedly attempted to flee after spotting police but was overpowered after a brief chase.
Investigations revealed that the scooter recovered from his possession was stolen from Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
During interrogation, Singh allegedly disclosed that he dropped out of college after his father's murder over a property dispute in 2019 and later came into contact with criminal elements. Police said he was introduced to gang associates through Pradeep alias Bantu and later established contact with gang handlers operating from abroad.
He allegedly confessed to involvement in multiple firing and extortion incidents in Punjab and Delhi in 2024 and said he was in touch with gang handlers through encrypted communication platforms. The accused allegedly sourced weapons from Ambala and distributed some consignments further through gang networks in other states, police said.
Singh had conducted reconnaissance of the targeted businessman and was coordinating with gang associates in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab before his arrest.
Police said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network and establish the larger conspiracy behind the planned murder and extortion operations.