International kabaddi player nabbed for being behind BJP leader’s murder

International kabaddi player Raj Kumar alias Raju Pahelwan, 33, wanted in the murder of BJP leader Gajendra Bhati, was arrested in a joint operation by Ghaziabad police and Special Cell of Delhi Police on Wednesday.  

According to police, they received information that Pahelwan, who was the co-accused in the Bhati’s murder on September 2, would be changing his location. 

“On receiving the information, a joint team of Special cell of Delhi Police and Ghaziabad Police was formed. He was seen at a bus stop in Siraspur area in Outer Delhi and was overpowered when he tried to flee,” said Akash Tomar, Superintendent of Police (City), Ghaziabad. 

During interrogation, Pehelwan disclosed that in 2013, he developed an enmity with Bhati after their vehicles collided in an incident of road rage. Pehelwan was severely injured and a case of attempt to murder was lodged against Bhati, but in 2015, the case was compromised. 

“Two months back, Pehelwan contacted Narender Fauzi, a close aide of Amarpal Sharma. Due to political rivalry, Sharma, ex-MLA from Sahibabad, wanted to eliminate Bhati. So, Sharma gave Narender Pehalwan the contract to kill Bhati for Rs 10 lakh and paid Rs 50,000 in advance,” Tomar said. 

The case

On September 2, Bhati  was shot dead and another Balbir Chauhan was injured when two unidentified bike-borne miscreants opened fire at them at Indira Vihar’s Khora Colony in Ghaziabad.