Delhi Police Invokes UAPA Against Fugitive Arms Dealer Shahbaz Ansari
In a significant development, Delhi Police has invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against notorious arms dealer Shahbaz Ansari, who is currently believed to be operating from Bangladesh. Ansari, arrested previously for supplying weapons used in the high-profile murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, fled the country after securing bail and is now suspected of collaborating with entities backed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
International Manhunt and Seizures
Police officials confirmed that a lookout circular (LOC) has been issued against Ansari, and steps are actively underway to seek an Interpol Red Notice to facilitate his extradition. Efforts to trace and apprehend the fugitive have been intensified, with authorities coordinating across borders. Recently, the crime branch made a major breakthrough by arresting 10 of Ansari's operatives and seizing a large cache of sophisticated arms and ammunition allegedly supplied by him to criminal gangs in Delhi.
The seized arsenal included:
- A Czech-made submachine gun
- PX-5.7 and PX3 pistols
- Brazilian Taurus firearms
- German Walther weapons
- Turkish Stoeger guns
- Chinese Star pistols
- Italian Beretta firearms
Roots of the Illegal Arms Network
Investigators revealed that Ansari's illegal arms network was deeply rooted in Khurja, located in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district. His father, Qurban, had allegedly established an arms manufacturing and supply racket under the guise of a legitimate electrical switch factory. Following Qurban's death during the Covid-19 pandemic, the illicit business was taken over by his sons, including Shahbaz Ansari, who expanded its operations.
Cross-Border Logistics and Bail Fraud
The UAPA was invoked after investigators uncovered a sophisticated cross-border logistics chain linking Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh to Delhi's underworld. Police stated that Ansari is currently shuttling between Dhaka and Dubai to evade capture. He reportedly travelled to Bangladesh along with his uncle and brother to establish a new operational base there.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had initially arrested Ansari in connection with the Sidhu Moose Wala murder case in 2022. However, he jumped bail last year and went underground. Investigations exposed a pattern of deception: in early 2023, he first sought bail by falsely claiming his wife was pregnant, followed by a fabricated excuse about his sister's wedding.
In June last year, he secured bail from a Patiala House court by asserting that his wife, Gulfisha, required urgent "spine decompression surgery" at a Ghaziabad hospital. Shortly after his release, he disappeared. Police later discovered that the mobile number provided to the court belonged to an unsuspecting individual in Assam, and the address listed for his stay had been vacated days before his release, highlighting a premeditated escape plan.
