The Delhi Police Crime Branch apprehended Praveen Kumar, also known as Tittu, a significant figure allegedly associated with an ISI-supported international arms smuggling and terrorism setup. Kumar, aged 45, is reportedly a close aide of infamous South Delhi criminal Rohit Chaudhary. Authorities seized an Italian-manufactured semi-automatic pistol and five live rounds from Kumar’s possession. The arrest was carried out by the Anti-Robbery and Snatching Cell (ARSC) team of the Crime Branch, led by Inspectors Man Singh and Sunder Gautam under ACP Sanjay Kumar Nagpal’s supervision.
Police disclosed that Praveen Kumar was taken into custody during the probe into FIR No. 49/26 lodged at the Crime Branch police station on March 14, under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Investigators revealed that Kumar played a role as a recipient and facilitator of illicit foreign-made advanced weapons allegedly distributed through the international arms trafficking and terrorism network managed by Shahbaz Ansari. To date, 14 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, with the recovery of 25 sophisticated foreign weapons, including a sub-machine gun, and 221 live cartridges.
The entire operation was reportedly supported by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), with the stringent UAPA provisions invoked in the case. Praveen Kumar, residing in Khirki Extension, Malviya Nagar, was identified as a property dealer in Aya Nagar. He was allegedly involved in occupying disputed properties illegally, encroaching on abandoned and forest lands, and engaging in unlawful plotting activities in collaboration with Chaudhary’s gang. Authorities stated that Kumar invested the proceeds from illegal ventures into gambling and betting operations.
Records indicate that Praveen Kumar had a previous reward of Rs 2 lakh on his arrest, while gangster Chaudhary carried a reward of Rs 4 lakh before being apprehended by the Crime Branch post a police encounter. Investigators noted that Kumar connected with co-accused Nishant Arora during his imprisonment and upon release, began procuring sophisticated foreign weapons for the gang to instill fear in the Aya Nagar-Mehrauli vicinity. Chaudhary, described as a notorious criminal, has a history of involvement in multiple offenses, including murder, extortion, organized crime, and illegal possession of weapons.
Delhi Police had earlier invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against Chaudhary, with his associates facing arrests in cases related to firearms and violent crimes. Praveen Kumar’s criminal record spans Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, with charges ranging from attempted murder, kidnapping for ransom, murder, extortion, rioting to Arms Act violations.
