The city crime branch has arrested two brothers for allegedly smuggling in a firearm from Uttar Pradesh, which was brought on the pretext of running security guard agencies, but was intended to be sold off. The police has seized one pistol and three live rounds from the duo.
The arrested accused, identified as Satyaprakash Harisevak Tiwari (48) and his elder brother Gruprasad Harisevak Tiwari (55), are both natives of Uttar Pradesh and live with their families in Ashok Nagar, Ghatkopar (west).
According to the police, the officials from unit-5 of the crime branch had received a tip-off that the two brothers were coming to D’Souza Nagar in Sakinaka on Monday evening. A team comprising API Anagha Satavase, head constable N. Shelar, Santosh Patil and M. Sawant, on the instructions of their senior, then laid a trap at the said place and both the brothers were subsequently arrested. A country-made pistol of 7.45 mm and 3 live rounds were recovered from their possession. The police has also seized their Mahindra Xylo car.
“The accused brothers run two security guard agencies called Bhawani Security Force and S.S. Enterprises. They sell firearms in the city on the pretext of running security agencies. They would buy the arms at cheap rates from UP and then sell it in Mumbai at higher prices. The seized weapon that they had bought for `45,000 in UP, was intended to be sold to someone in the eastern suburbs,” said an officer from unit- 5 of the crime branch.
The accused were arrested under Sections 3 and 25 of the Indian Arms Act, and were produced in the court on Tuesday that remanded them to police custody till July 15.
A few days ago, the same unit had arrested a man who used to buy firearms from Satan in MP, and would then sell it in Mumbai at higher rates. The accused,
Preshit Narvekar, who is currently in police custody, said he entered the arms smuggling business upon learning that it was an easy way to make a quick buck.