They have cuffed two of the would-be shooters in the Guru Randhawa case, people with ties to the Bishnoi outfit. You could call it a turning point in the probe. After their alleged confessions, a broader manhunt is in progress to put an end to the trail and get their hands on the weapon.
The Crime Branch has held Arman, 19, and Tushar, 21 – or Tashu and Pinku as they’re called in Bahadurgarh, Haryana. Word from the investigators is they were doing the bidding of Anil Pandit, a Bishnoi gang associate thought to be running his network from the US.
Breakthrough in Paschim Vihar firing
It happened in the early hours of June 11, around 4 am, when someone let off a few rounds outside a fitness centre on the Outer Ring Road. Nobody was hurt, but we did find seven spent casings at the spot. A report was filed with the Paschim Vihar East station.
Not long after, a social media put-out by one Anil Pandit put the blame on the gang and made a link to the singer’s friendship with Salman Khan. There were some prior warnings, too, which is why the police are looking at this through an organised crime prism.
You can see in a clip from a news outlet where the cops identify the two, Arman and Tushar, as the ones they’ve brought in after a good bit of legwork. The investigation is still moving.
How police traced the suspects
When the writing on the wall suggested a gang was involved, the Crime Branch stepped in. They put together the escape route, went over the tech and followed the suspects for some 100 kms or so before they had what they needed to act.
We had four names: Sahil, Sagar, Arman and Tushar. We hit the streets of Bahadurgarh on the 15th and made the arrests. Under questioning, both will say they were in on it. As for the other two, Sahil and Sagar, they’re cousins of Arman and are currently on the lam.
Alleged motive and network
The men in our custody were working for Anil Pandit, a known Bishnoi type who is believed to be calling the shots from across the pond. The post that made the rounds gave the gang credit for the job, all in the name of the singer’s closeness to Khan.
Then there’s Tushar, who only just got back from Russia on a study visa. He was down there for work and, according to us, he got in with Sahil and Sagar not long before the incident and was in on the plan.
Why it matters
These arrests put a light on how far the Bishnoi influence goes and how they like to make a show of their threats. We’ve said before that Salman is on their list; they even owned up to some trouble at his Galaxy home in the past.
Here is the rundown from the police:
– Two from Bahadurgarh, Haryana are in
– The Bishnoi connection is through Anil Pandit
– 4 am on the 11th, seven cartridges left behind
– They have confessed to what they did
– Still after the gun and the likes of Sahil and Sagar
What comes next in the investigation
With the two in our lock-up, the Crime Branch is making them talk to see how the whole Bishnoi web is put together. We are intent on finding the others and the piece of hardware they used.
We are also sifting through the comms behind that viral claim of responsibility and the part played by the handler overseas to get to the bottom of the chain of command.
Case recap
Two on a bike made their way to the gym in Paschim Vihar and opened fire about 4 am on June 11. No one was made to pay with their health, though we did pick up seven empty cases.
A focused effort in Bahadurgarh saw us bring in Arman and Tushar. With them in hand and the rest out there, we are now on to the network that made this happen.
