UP Man Arrested in Ghatkopar West with Two Pistols and 10 Live Rounds
The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a 33-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh for the illegal sale of firearms, recovering two automatic pistols and 10 live rounds from his possession at a hotel in Asalpha, Ghatkopar West. The accused, identified as Manish Mantu Shahani alias Sahani, was detained by Unit 7 of the Crime Branch in the Sakinaka police jurisdiction after officers laid a trap based on specific information regarding illegal weapons trading.
According to the Crime Branch, Unit 7 officers received reliable information stating that a suspect had arrived in the Sakinaka area to sell illegal firearms and ammunition. The information indicated that the individual was staying at the Ashoka Inn Hotel, located in Asalpha, Ghatkopar West. Acting on this intelligence, a team from Unit 7 set up a trap in the Sakinaka area and intercepted the suspect at the hotel while he was allegedly waiting to sell the firearms. Upon searching the suspect, officers seized two automatic pistols along with 10 live rounds.
A case was initially registered at the Sakinaka Police Station following the seizure. The investigation was subsequently taken over by the Crime Branch and registered under Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act, along with relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.
During preliminary investigations, police discovered that Shahani, a resident of Bhediyagadh, Geeta Vatika, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, has allegedly been booked in two murder cases and one robbery case in Uttar Pradesh. Police noted that firearms were allegedly used in all three past offences. The prior cases include a 2014 robbery case registered at the Samde Ulwa Police Station in Maharajganj district, a 2019 murder case registered at the Shahpur Police Station in Gorakhpur, and a 2021 murder case registered at the Khorabad Police Station in Gorakhpur district.
The Crime Branch is now investigating the source of the recovered firearms and attempting to determine whom the accused had allegedly come to meet in Mumbai. Officers are working to uncover the broader purchase, procurement, and supply network involved in the illegal firearms trade, as well as identifying other individuals involved in the distribution of weapons.
