The motive behind the firing was Malhotra’s refusal to pay the extortion money demanded by Lawrence Bishnoi, claimed Delhi Police.
Deep Malhotra was a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Faridkot in Punjab. His son Gautam Malhotra was arrested in February 2023 in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Later on he was granted bail in May 2023.
The police sought the gangster’s release stating that they found no incriminating evidence against him.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Suman Gupta at Tis Hazari Court, in an order passed on January 2 this year noted, “Since it is submitted by the Investigation Officer (IO) that there is no recovery affected from the accused and there is only a disclosure statement of the accused which has no evidentiary value in the eyes of the law, therefore, in the absence of any incriminating evidence against the accused, he is hereby released from the present case.”
The court directed immediate release if the accused is not required in any other case. The application for the release of Deepak Boxer was moved by the Crime branch of the Delhi Police. Application disposed off accordingly.
The Court noted that the accused was arrested based on a disclosure statement.
Advocate Virender Mual appeared for accused Deepak Pahal alias Boxer.
The firing incident was initially reported by the security guard deployed at Deep Malhotra’s residence, Om Villa, on December 3, 2023.
Security Guard Yogesh Kumar reported that on December 3 around 6.30 PM, while he was on duty at the main gate of Kothi, he heard gunshots noises and he saw two unidentified boys, approximately 25 years old, firing towards the main gate of Kothi, Om Villa, West Punjabi Bagh, Delhi. Following the firing, both individuals fled towards Gandha Nala, Punjabi Bagh.
During the investigation, police checked the CCTV footage and found two masked boys firing towards the main gate before fleeing the scene.
During the course of the investigation, on, December 7 last year as per the order of senior officers, the present case was transferred to Crime Branch.
On December 8 last year based on secret information, a suspect named Aakash alias Kasha a resident of Village Bhatgaon, District Sonipat, Haryana, was apprehended, police said in the reply.
During interrogation, Aakash disclosed that he came in touch with Vishal Chaudhary of Lawrence Bishnoi and Gogi gang through Signal App. Vishal Chaudhary sent him five pistols and some live cartridges for firing at the residence of Deep Malhotra.
Police said that Aakash further disclosed that he, along with two accomplices, namely Sombir alias Totla from Bhatgaon, Sonipat, Haryana, and Nitesh alias Sinti from Charkhi Dadri, were involved in the conspiracy related to the firing incident at the residence of Ex-MLA Deep Malhotra.
The motive behind the firing was Deep Malhotra’s refusal to pay the extortion money demanded by Lawrence Bishnoi, Delhi police stated.
During the investigation, on December 8, 2023, on the instance of accused Aakash alias Kasha co-accused Nitesh alias Sinti was also arrested who disclosed that he is greatly influenced by the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang and aspires to become a notorious gangster similar to Lawrence Bishnoi, the reply said.
It is alleged that One member of Lawrence Bishnoi Gang namely Sunder Malik assigned him the task of firing at Deep Malhotra’s house and provided the Signal ID of Aakash alias Kasha. Thereafter, on December 13, 2023, the accused Sombir alias Totla was also arrested.
Investigation revealed the involvement of accused Sombir and Nitesh along with co-accused Aakash, Gaurav Rana, and Vansh Gola in conspiring to carry out the firing.
Further investigation in the case is underway to ascertain the potential involvement of jailed gangster Rohit Moi and Lawrence Bishnoi, the police added.
During the investigation, on December 15, 2023, in the instance of accused Aakash alis Kasha, accused Vansh alias Gola was arrested. Vansh Gola disclosed that he is in touch with Gaurav Rana of Gogi Gang and Lawrence Bishnoi Gang.
On the direction of Gaurav Rana, he received a bike from Deep Vihar, Sector-23,24 Rohini, Delhi and provided the same to Aakash alias Kasha at Madipur Metro Station before the firing incident.
Thereafter, on the instance of Vansh alias Gola, co-associate Gaurav Rana was arrested. Gaurav Rana is the person who was in contact with Vishal Chaudhary and jailed Gangster Rohit Moi of Gogi Gang through the Signal app, police said.
During the course of the investigation, all the accused persons were arrested and are in judicial custody and further jailed gangsters Rohit Moi Deepak Boxer and Lawrence Bishnoi are yet to be interrogated to recover weapons used in the commission of crime and to unearth the conspiracy behind the firing incident as well as to trace Vishal Chaudhary, Delhi police said.
The accused Vansh is part of an organized crime syndicate infamously known as Gogi Gang and Lawrence Bishnoi gang which is involved in several gang-related crimes including murder, extortion, and attempt to murder among others, police added. (ANI)