Criminal runs land grabbing racket from Tihar

An alleged land grabbing racket run from within Tihar Jail has been busted with the arrest of two men from  South west Delhi’s Dwarka. 

To get a plot vacated in Najafgarh, the two had allegedly indiscriminately fired outside a  house and left after threatening the family. Police said the men had been hired by a goon lodged in Tihar Jail in a murder case.

Bijender, 27, and Pawan Maan, 24, were nabbed with a country-made pistol, four cartridges and a stolen motorcycle. Their interrogation revealed that they had fired at the plot to terrorise the occupants at the instance of Sandeep Mental, who is operating from Tihar Jail. Sandeep’s brother Jagdip had provided the firearms and ammunition to Bijender and Pawan.

Bijender was earlier lodged in Tihar Jail with Sandeep. He came out on bail on December 4 with the help of Sandeep, who had arranged surety for him. 

The plot was previously occupied by a man named Pradeep Banka and his brother Jaswant. “Sandeep had killed Pradeep in 2012 to take the plot. But, Jaswant sold the plot to a man named Nafe Singh after Sandeep was arrested and sent to Tihar Jail,” said Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav. Sandeep wanted the plot and was furious at the development.

On December 13, Bijender and Pawan had gone to the plot at about 8 pm. They opened indiscriminate fire at the plot and asked the occupants to come out. “When no one came out, they again opened fire and left after threatening that no one will be allowed to stay in the property,” Yadav added.

A case under sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code was registered with Najafgarh police station. Late on December 18, the attack was repeated by the gang on which another case was lodged.

“Both the attacks were captured on CCTV camera, but initially the accused were not identified as they were wearing masks,” Yadav said. Specific information was received about Bijender and Pawan’s involvement on Wednesday and they were apprehended in Dwarka.