news details |
|
|
| SP leader, two JK youth held in auto-lifting racket | | | New Delhi | Dec 8
A Samajwadi Party (SP) councillor from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and two Kashmiri youths have been arrested for their alleged involvement in several cases of car theft. The special staff of south district police have also seized eight stolen vehicles from their possession.
According to the police, SP councillor Zaffar Hussain Khan (50), and Imtiyaz Ahmed (30) and Firoz Khan (35) — both residents of J&K — are part of an autolifter gang active in four states. On a tip-off that the three were going to Press Enclave on a stolen Santro car to deliver it to another gang member, Manzoor Khan Alam on November 28, the police laid a trap and arrested them. The police have also launched a manhunt to nab the kingpins of the gang, Anil Chauhan and Nasir Kamal. The police are also probing the possibility of the gang having a terrorist link. "We are also verifying whether any of the stolen vehicles were being used by terrorists," said a senior police officer.
Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, he said: "First Anil Chauhan and Nasir Kamal with their accomplices — Nusrat and Naeem — used to steal vehicles from parking lots in Delhi. After that Imtiyaz and Firoz used to prepare forged documents for the stolen cars from transport authorities in J&K."
It was during the third stage that the councillor’s role becomes important. "Hussain delivered the stolen vehicles to Manzoor Alam, who is also from J&K, and Guddu Warsi of Bareilly for which he charged a commission of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per vehicle," added the officer.
The gang then used to sell the stolen vehicles in remote areas of J&K, Leh Ladakh, Uttrakhand and North-East and in some parts of Nepal, said police.
Meanwhile, Hussain had escaped an arrest in November when the Bareilly police had raided his and Guddu Warsi’s house and seized 12 stolen vehicles. While Warsi is still absconding, Hussain used his political connection to escape. However, two of Wrasi’s associates were arrested.
And this is not the first time that councillor Hussain is in net on the charges of autolifting. He had been arrested in cases of vehicle theft in 2001 too when he was working as a driver for one Om Narayan in Delhi.
Police said that more raids are being conducted to arrest the other members of the gang and a team has also been sent to J&K. Manjoor Alam is an important link in the disposal chain and he can provide vital leads about the possible terrorist link, the officer added. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
