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NEW DELHI: The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has apprehended two significant operatives associated with a transnational arms trafficking and terror module, which is allegedly supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agency—ISI. With these fresh arrests, the cumulative number of accused persons in the case has now reached 12.
The individuals, identified as Imran (37) and Mohammad Kamran (27), were intercepted at IGI Airport earlier this week. Look Out Circulars (LOCs) had been issued against them. Following their detention, both were formally arrested in connection with an FIR registered by the Crime Branch under pertinent provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which was invoked on March 31 considering the seriousness and implications of the case.
The investigation has revealed that Imran and Kamran were actively involved as members of an arms supply network allegedly run by the absconding kingpin Shahbaz Ansari. The two are believed to have travelled to Nepal to collect consignments of illegal firearms, which were subsequently routed through clandestine cross-border channels.
To evade detection by enforcement agencies, the weapons were transported in dismantled condition and later reassembled after being smuggled into India. These arms were then distributed among criminal elements and anti-national actors operating across Delhi-NCR and other regions.
According to police officials, both accused played a “crucial logistical role” within the network, handling responsibilities such as receiving consignments, assembling weapons, ensuring safe storage, and facilitating their distribution, along with managing financial transactions linked to the supply chain.
Investigators further stated that the entire network was functioning under the guidance and direction of handlers connected to the ISI. The trafficking route reportedly extended across multiple countries—Pakistan, Thailand, Nepal, and India—strategically designed to evade direct scrutiny and hinder conventional tracking mechanisms. The probe also indicates that Shahbaz Ansari acted as a key intermediary between foreign handlers and local operatives, coordinating the procurement and cross-border movement of weapons.
Authorities suspect that the larger objective of the module was to destabilize India’s internal security framework. The proceeds generated from illegal arms sales were allegedly intended to fund terror-related activities. Investigators have also raised concerns about the potential use of these weapons in high-impact terror operations. Intelligence inputs suggest that such arms could have been deployed during religious gatherings or large public events, posing a grave threat to public safety and communal harmony.
During the course of interrogation, police recovered a .30 bore pistol of Chinese origin along with five live cartridges, as well as a .32 bore revolver manufactured by Indian Ordnance accompanied by six live cartridges. In addition, a Maruti Swift car was seized, which had been specially modified with concealed cavities for the covert transportation of illegal arms. Officials noted that the vehicle had been engineered with a high degree of precision, enabling it to hide such consignments in a manner that would not raise suspicion during routine inspections.
Before these latest arrests, 10 other accused individuals had already been apprehended, leading to the recovery of 21 firearms, including a submachine gun, along with 200 live cartridges. With the new seizures, the overall recovery in the case has increased to 23 sophisticated weapons and 211 live cartridges.
Police officials have stated that further efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other members of the network and to dismantle the entire syndicate. Authorities have described the case as a “highly organized transnational conspiracy” with serious implications for national security.
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