Delhi: Parole party! 15 of Sangwan gang held

It was more like a scene from a Bollywood flick when Delhi Police's Crime Branch arrested 15 criminals during a raid at a party organized at a farm house to celebrate gangster Kapil Sangwan's parole. Sangwan, in jail since 2016, had not reached the venue at the time of the raid.

"Sangwan who was lodged in Jaipur and was supposed to be released on parole on June 20, but it was postponed to June 24. However, his associates had been planning a grand welcome party since June 18 at one of the associates' farmhouse at Goyala Dairy in Najafgarh. Since then, the police had been on alert," said ACP Manoj Pant who supervised two teams of Crime Branch during the raid.

The Inter-Border Gangs Investigation Squad of the Crime Branch Dwarka also recovered nine pistols and 65 rounds, police said on Tuesday. Since June 18, 40 police personnel had been on the vigil in case the criminals gathered at the venue.

Arms like AK-47, SLR, and bullet-proof jackets were given to the team to create a sense of fear in the gang members, who the police had expected to be armed. "Around 11.30 pm on Monday, we entered the farmhouse from all four directions.

After checking each one of them, 15 persons were identified as Sangwan gang's associates who were arrested with arms and ammunitions in their possession," a senior officer said.

During interrogation, the accused persons revealed that they had gathered at the Goyala Dairy house to celebrate a social occasion. "Sangwan has several cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, criminal intimidation and possession of illegal firearms registered against him in Delhi and Haryana. He was in jail since 2016 and was released from jail on Monday," Dr AK Singla, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) said.

Nine pistols and 65 rounds were recovered from the arrested. Six out of these nine pistols are sophisticated 7.65 mm pistols, while the remaining 3 are.315 bore countrymade kattas. From alcohol to non-vegetarian food and music, all arrangements were made by the gang members to please their "boss".

Family members of few of the associates, including that of Sangwan, also attended the party. In May, three criminals from the Sangwan gang were arrested while planning to eliminate members of a rival gang led by Manjit Mahal.

Many members of the Sangwan gang are wanted in cases ranging from extortion to murder. Sangwan gang, Rajesh Bharti gang, Gogi gang, and Thak-Thak gang etc are notorious gangs in Delhi who operate mainly in outer, west and southwest Delhi.

A case under Sections 186, 353, 324, 332, 34 of IPC and 25, 54, 59 Arms Act was registered against the accused persons.