Jammu: An alleged mastermind behind the murder of a former National Conference legislator in Delhi last year was arrested after a brief encounter here, a senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer said on Tuesday. Harpreet Singh alias Amit Rana was wanted in connection with the killing of T S Wazir.
His arrest followed an investigation into a recent dacoity by a group of 10 armed criminals wearing police uniforms at the house of businessman Rakesh Agarwal in posh Gandhi Nagar locality, Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh told reporters here. He said four accomplices of Rana were also arrested in a series of raids by police at different places in Punjab and Delhi and two pistols, Rs 5 lakh in cash and the police uniforms used by them were seized.
Initial investigation suggested that the criminals, nine of whom are residents of Punjab, had come to Gandhi Nagar, Jammu to kill businessman Choudhary Nagar Singh but later decamped with cash between Rs 10 to 15 lakh after they failed in their assassination plan, the ADGP said. Wazir (67), a former member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council (MLC), was found dead with a gunshot wound at a flat in west Delhi's Moti Nagar in September last year.
Two accused were arrested by the Delhi Police, while Harpreet Singh was absconding. We have solved the Gandhi Nagar dacoity case within five days. The incident happened on December 7 and accordingly, 15 teams were constituted to crack the case. Six of the teams were sent to different locations in Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi and so far five accused were arrested, the officer said.
Presenting four of the arrested criminals before the media along with the seized items, he said, Rana was the main conspirator who was caught by a team headed by Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, Chandan Kohli after a brief encounter in Marble market area on the outskirts of the city. Harjinder Singh, a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab was the first person arrested in the case on Monday and his questioning revealed that Rana is the main conspirator.
While following Rana, it was gathered that he was duping people in Jammu by various means. Finally, a lead was gathered regarding his movement in the marble market, the officer said, adding he fired at the police party in an attempt to escape but was overpowered and caught. During questioning, the police got suspicious about Rana's real identity, who later turned out to be Harpreet Singh Khalsa, a resident of Delhi presently living in the Digiana area of Jammu and the main accused in the Wazir murder case, he said.
The ADGP identified the other accused arrested in the dacoity case as Manjeet Singh, Raja Singh and Pinto Singh, all residents of Punjab. The initial investigation revealed that the culprits have not come with the intention to commit dacoity but to kill businessman Choudhary Nagar Singh at the house of Agarwal after calling him there. When they failed, they fled with cash from the house, he said.
Responding to questions, the ADGP said the probe is still in the preliminary stage and the entire conspiracy will be unveiled soon and all those behind it will be arrested. Jammu police will not tolerate such types of activities. Anyone attempting such an act will be dealt with sternly, the ADGP said. (PTI)
