Rs 15 Crore Ransom Demand In Delhi Firing Case, Orders Came From US

New Delhi:

Two sharp-shooters linked to the Kaushal Chaudhary-Bambiha gang were arrested for opening fire at the residence of a businessman in Delhi, police said on Tuesday. Bilal Ansari, 22, and Shuheb Qureshi, 21, both natives of Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, were arrested during a shootout, three days after they carried out the shooting in North West Delhi’s Rani Bagh.

The two accused, who were on a bike, fired multiple rounds to extort Rs 15 crore from the Delhi businessman and left a slip bearing the name of the “Kaushal Chaudhary – Pawan Shokeen – Bambhia Gang.”

During interrogation, they told the police that gangster Pawan Shaukeen, who has fled from India and is currently operating from the US, had ordered them to open fire.

How Pawan Shaukeen Hired The Shooters

Pawan Shaukeen, who was an arms supplier in Delhi, met one of the shooters, Bilal, when he was working in a factory in Uttar Pradesg’s Khurja, the police said.

He then contacted him and asked to do a recce of the residence of the businessman.

Pawan also told him he would be paid for the task.

Bilal then contacted Shuheb, whom he had met through a common friend who was in touch with Pawan Shokeen.

The gangster told both to fire upon the residence in the Rani Bagh area. While Shuheb was driving the bike, Bilal carried out the shooting.

Rise Of Extortion Bids In Delhi

Delhi has witnessed a spate of firing incidents as part of extortion attempts in the past few months.

Last month, three sensational incidents of firing occurred in the capital — at a car showroom in Naraina in west Delhi, a hotel in southwest Delhi and the sweet shop, all were linked to extortion activities by gangsters.

In the first incident, shots were fired at a second-hand car showroom called ‘Car Street Mini’ in southwest Delhi’s Naraina, barely a kilometre from the Naraina police station. Officials said at least 20 rounds were fired by three men who entered the showroom, causing panic in the area.

The shooters left behind a slip, reading “Bhau Gang, Since 2020”. The “Bhau Gang” mention was seen as a reference to wanted gangster Himanshu Bhau, who fled the country in 2022 and is currently believed to be in Portugal. He had also claimed responsibility for the murder of a man at a food outlet in Delhi.

In May, a similar shooting was carried out at a car showroom in West Delhi’s Tilak Nagar and the same gang was suspected to be behind the attack. Sources said Rs 5 crore was demanded from the owners of the ‘Fusion Cars’ showroom.

The second shooting took place in southwest Delhi’s Mahipalpur when a bike-borne shooter fired at least 5-6 rounds at the Hotel Impress and damaged its glass gate.

According to sources, the firing was done to extort money and take over the hotel. Last year, a man had threatened the hotel owner in the name of Canada-based gangster Goldie Brar.