AK47 rifle found buried at plot of ex-MLA Shokeen

NEW DELHI: Delhi police special cell may book former Mundka MLA Rambir Shokeen under the stringent MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act). His two nephews - Neeraj Bawana and Pankaj Sehrawat - have already been arrested under the act.

On Thursday night, special cell sleuths recovered an AK 47 and a self-loading rifle (SLR) buried at a plot belonging to Shokeen on the western outskirts of Delhi.

Police said Shokeen was allegedly part of the conspiracy masterminded by Bawana to help Amit Bhura, one of north India’s dreaded gangsters, escape from the custody of Uttarakhand police in December last year. Bawana has told police that Shokeen was involved in the conspiracy, said police.

Bhura was arrested again last week by the Punjab Police.

Shokeen has been evading law ever since his name surfaced in the case. Even as special cell sleuths continued looking for him, Shokeen, in an interview to a news agency on Friday, claimed innocence and alleged that the police’s move was a political conspiracy against him.

Special cell sleuths said the firearms were recovered at the instance of Bawana, Delhi’s most feared extortionist.

The weapons were allegedly looted by Bawana’s associates from Uttarakhand police.

Bhura was being taken to Baghpat court from an Uttarakhand Jail when some criminals attacked the police party and helped Bhura escape. The attackers had taken away an AK 47 and an SLR from the police personnel.

“Bawana told police that his associated had given him the looted weapons. He brought the firearms to Shokeen’s house and sought his help in hiding the weapons. Shokeen asked his nephew to hide the guns at his plot,” said a senior police officer.

The senior officer said they want to question the former Independent MLA, who joined Congress before the recently concluded Delhi assembly elections, in connection with the recovery of the prohibited weapons from his property. Also, they need his clarification on the Bhura’s escape from police custody.

Meanwhile, special cell sleuths on Friday got custody of Bhura’s aide Sunil Rathi, who had roped in Bawana in former’s escape plan. Rathi was lodged in Uttarakhand Jail from where his production warrant was secured.