Karkardooma Court firing main accused arrested

Mastermind of the Karkardooma court shootout case of 2015 where a Delhi Police head constable was killed has been arrested, police said on Monday.

The accused Mohammad Azeem, 29, is also involved in the murder of a Shahdra-based trader this year. Azeem is also accused of killing the live-in partner of his associate in Gajrola district of Uttar Pradesh in 2012.

A proclaimed offender in three cases, there was a reward of Rs 50,000 on Azeem’s arrest, said police.

In the October 23, 2015 Karkardooma court incident, Delhi Police Head Constable Ram Kumar who was escorting an under trial Chanu Pehelwan for a hearing in the court was killed, and three others including Pehelwan were injured.

Pehelwan had been in judicial custody and was to give a witness statement in the Metropolitan Magistrate's court. As soon as the head constable entered the court with Pehelwan, four juveniles opened fire at the prisoner. More than six bullets were fired in the shootout.

The four accused were apprehended from the spot, while five others involved in the shootout were arrested later.

However, the mastermind of the incident Azeem managed to dodge the police arrest.
While on the run from police, Azeem was actively involved in the activities of Naseer gang.

On May this year, Azeem along with his accomplices dragged out a trader from his office in Seelampur and shot him dead.

Despite having several teams of Delhi Police on his trail, Azeem, was not only evading his arrest but also recruiting new gangsters and juveniles in his gang.

Sensing the gravity of the case, a dedicated team comprising personnel of Inter State Cell and Crime Branch was constituted. The movement of the gangster and his associates was studies and manual surveillance was activated, said police.

On October 20, information was received that Azeem would come in the area of Farash Khana in Old Delhi.

A trap was laid at Farash Khana, and after some time police spotted a black-colour Scooty coming from Farash Khana side. When the Scooty was signalled to stop, the rider got down from the vehicle and tried to fire upon the police team.

After a brief scuffle he was overpowered, and later identified as Mohammad Azeem.  
During his interrogation, Azeem revealed to police that he along with his accomplice Naazim had murdered the latter’s live-in partner Rubina.

 Rubina had information of all the misdeeds of Naazim and was blackmailing him to expose him if he didn’t marry her.

To get rid of Rubina, Naazim confided in Azeem and planned to eliminate her. On October, 2012, Azeem and Naazim took her in a car to Amroha in Uttar Pradesh on the pretext of attending a marriage ceremony.

While on the way, they strangled her, and burnt her face with acid to hide her identity. They then threw the body in the bushes near Gajraula in Uttar Pradesh.