Mumbai:
The Unit VII of the Mumbai Crime Branch on Sunday arrested a 26-year-old gun supplier and recovered around 15 pistols, nine magazines and around 11 live rounds. The police suspect that the consignment was to be supplied to underworld gangs ahead of the upcoming BMC elections.
The Ghatkopar Unit of the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested Ritesh Lalji Singh alias Sonu Singh (26), a resident of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the police, they were acting on a tip-off that Singh would be arriving in the city on Sunday with the arms cache.
"As per the information, our constables were stationed dressed as vegetable vendors and rickshaw drivers outside the station. As soon as they spotted Singh, he was apprehended with the stock of the weapons," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy.
During interrogation, the cops discovered that Singh is a gun supplier who purchases guns and pistols illegally from Bihar and then supplies it to various cities.
"The pistols are 7.65 mm and have foreign markings on them. We are checking if they are Indian-made," said an officer.
"We suspect the pistols were brought to the city to be used during the upcoming BMC elections," said a police officer from the Crime Branch.