Meerut: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested two key members of an interstate arms smuggling gang involved in supplying illegal weapons from Punjab to various states, including Uttar Pradesh. The arrested individuals were found in possession of crucial documents and fake receipts related to the purchase and sale of firearms.
Details of the Arrested Accused
- Gurvinder Jeet Singh (Son of Surjeet Singh) – Resident of Olakh Farmhouse, Plasaur Road, Tarn Taran, Punjab. Owner of Dhan Dhan Baba Deep Singh Gun House.
- Shejpal Singh (Son of Avtar Singh) – Resident of Chak Pandori, Lopoke, Amritsar, Punjab. Associated with Marhatta Gun House.
Arrest Details
- Location: STF Field Unit, Police Lines, Meerut
- Date: March 5, 2025
- Time: 6:50 PM
Seized Documents
- Fake sale receipts from:
- Dhan Dhan Baba Deep Singh Gun House, Tarn Taran (Punjab)
- Marhatta Gun House, Adda Khassa, GT Road, Attari, Amritsar (Punjab)
- Fake arms license:
- A license issued under the name of Avtar Singh for Marhatta Gun House.
- The District Magistrate’s report revealed that the license had no legal partnership, yet Shejpal Singh’s name was illegally added.
How the Racket Was Exposed
The STF had been tracking illegal arms smuggling activities in western Uttar Pradesh. Previous arrests and interrogations led to the identification of a larger network.
- November 23, 2024 – Rohan (Son of Rakesh Kumar, resident of Lohadra, Baghpat) was arrested from Kankerkhera, Meerut, with 5 SBBL guns, 12 DBBL guns, and 700 rounds of .315 bore ammunition. FIR No. 693/2024 was registered.
- December 20, 2024 – The gang’s mastermind, Anil Balian alias Anil Banji (Son of Rajendra, resident of Sisouli, Muzaffarnagar), was arrested with a .30 bore rifle, a .30 bore carbine (with 15 rounds), and an illegal 12-bore pump-action gun.
- February 2, 2025 – Interrogation revealed that the .45 bore pistol recovered from Anil Balian was purchased from Vishal Gun House, Pathankot, Punjab.
- March 5, 2025 – Gurvinder Jeet Singh and Shejpal Singh arrived at the STF office in Meerut with arms-related documents. Upon questioning, they were found to be part of the illegal network and arrested.
How the Smuggling Operation Worked
- November 19, 2024 – Gurvinder Jeet Singh purchased a .45 bore pistol from Vishal Gun House, Pathankot.
- November 21, 2024 – The pistol was sold to Shejpal Singh using a fake license.
- Shejpal Singh then transferred the weapon to Anil Balian under the name of Gautam Ahlawat (resident of Patti, Tarn Taran), using a forged bill.
- Additional illegal sales included:
- 5 SBBL guns
- 15 DBBL guns
- 1,000 rounds of .315 bore ammunition
- Fake receipts issued in the name of Tamanna Gun House, Moga
- The price of the illegal weapons:
- ₹40,000-₹50,000 per gun
- ₹100 per round of ammunition
Links to Drug Mafia
Investigations revealed that Shejpal Singh’s father, Avtar Singh, is currently imprisoned under the NDPS Act, Arms Act, Explosives Act, and UAPA at Central Jail, Amritsar. He was a member of the Pakistani drug mafia led by Sarmukh Singh, who is also in jail but continues to run his operations.
Shejpal Singh misused his father’s gun house license to forge fake partnerships and sell illegal weapons.
STF Action & Legal Proceedings
Both accused have been booked under:
- Sections: 318(4), 336(3), 338, 340(2), 61(2)(k) BNS, and 5/25(1)(k) / 25(8) of the Arms Act.
- The STF considers this a major breakthrough in dismantling the illegal arms trade in Uttar Pradesh.
- Further investigations are underway to track down other members of this smuggling network.
This crackdown marks a significant step in curbing illegal arms trade and its potential links to organized crime in the region.
