Ex-Gzb councillor's murderer arrested

A 32-year-old contract killer has been arrested for the murder a Congress leader and former councillor of Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam.

Hari Mohan Kaushik was shot thrice in the chest by motorcycle-borne assailants in front of his house at Shastri Nagar in Ghaziabad in October 2014.

Kaushik, 45, was himself an accused in the murder case of his nephew — Samajwadi Party leader Sudhir Kaushik’s son Prashant.

Police said the accused arrested for Kaushik’s murder has been identified as Bhupender Singh.

Opened fire
He along with his accomplices Chunnu, Rajbir and Billu had attacked Kaushik as soon as he got down from his SUV to enter his house.

A case was registered with Kavi Nagar police station in Ghaziabad.

“Bhupender was nabbed by a team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell which keeps a tab on interstate criminals and their movements in Delhi,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

On March 7, police were informed that Bhupender would come to Sarai Kale Khan ISBT to meet an accomplice.

Accordingly, a trap was laid and Bhupender was apprehended outside the ISBT.
His search led to seizure of a pistol with four cartridges of 7.65 bore.

Police said Prashant’s brother-in-law Bodesh Sharma had hatched a conspiracy to avenge the death.

“Bodesh had gave the contract to Bhupender’s gang,” Yadav added.
Uttar Pradesh Police had earlier arrested Chunnu, Rajbir and Billu in Ghaziabad in January.

Arms, ammo seized
A country-made pistol of .315 bore, two cartridges, a knife and the motorcycle used in the shoot-out has also been recovered.

Kaushik was the former councillor of Rajapur village in Shashtri Nagar and had a property dispute with his elder brother Sudhir.

He allegedly killed his nephew Prashant over the dispute in August 2012 and was in jail for six months, before getting a bail.

Kaushik had fired six shots from his licensed .32-caliber pistol and the bullets had hit Prashant in the chest and head.