NIA Arrests Alleged Linchpin in Multi-State Arms Trafficking Case

Overview

• Kamalkant Verma, known as Uncle Ji, was detained in Patna as a principal accused in a northern India illegal arms and ammunition network.
• He is accused of sourcing ammunition from gun houses in Haryana, routing consignments through Uttar Pradesh to Bihar and other destinations.
• NIA teams earlier searched 23 locations across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, deploying 22 teams in districts including Patna, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Auraiya and Kurukshetra.
• The searches yielded multiple weapons and ammunition, more than Rs 1 crore in cash, digital devices with incriminating data, and fake or suspicious identity documents.
• Four suspects—Ravi Ranjan, Shashi Prakash, Vijay Kalra and Kush Kalra—were arrested following the December 4 operations, and investigators say further leads are being pursued.