Punjab Police bust MP-based illegal weapons supply network, one held

Kapurthala police have also recovered three .32 bore pistols, along with 3 magazines from his possession, he added.

This is the third such MP-based illegal weapon manufacturing and supply module busted by the Punjab Police within the last 8 months. Earlier, Amritsar (rural police had unearthed two such modules, including one illicit small arms manufacturing unit in MP with the arrest of weapon smugglers, who were supplying weapons to gangsters, criminals and radicals in Punjab.

The DGP stated that the development came 10 days after the Kapurthala police in the follow-up operations, led by SSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh, had arrested four robbers after recovering 10 pistols and one rifle, along with ammunition, from their possession.

He said that the arrested robbers revealed they were getting the supply of weapons from MP-based smuggler Sweety Singh and were hatching a conspiracy to carry out robberies, snatch money from petrol pumps as well as farmers. “While working closely with MP Police, Kapurthala police team managed to arrest Sweety Singh,” the DGP said.

SSP Khakh said that Sweety had disclosed that he and his elder brother, Sumer Singh, were into weapons manufacturing and supply trade from many years and they used to upload videos of pistols on various social media platforms to lure their customers and this is how the present crime module of Punjab established contact with them.

He said initial investigations found that Sweety was running a YouTube channel in the name of ‘Azad Group Munger’ on which he used to showcase his illegal weapons business and when buyers asked about price, the group used to share their WhatsApp number.

Sweety also revealed that of around 40-45 houses in their village Umarti, more than 20 were involved in the business of manufacturing and sale of illicit weapons, especially .30 bore and .32 bore Pistols, Khakh added.

An FIR has been registered under Sections 399 and 402 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 25 of the Arms Act at police station Fattudhinga in Kapurthala.