Bhopal: Illegal Firearms Supply Linked To DJ Yaseen’s Network, Two Held

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Crime Branch on Wednesday arrested two persons in connection with an illegal arms deal that has direct links to Yaseen Ahmed ‘Machhli’ drug and firearm syndicate.

The arrested accused have been identified as Ankit Kahar and Aman Dahiya, from whom a country-made pistol and a live cartridge were recovered.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Anshul alias Bhuri, a close associate of Yaseen and an active player in the MD drug and arms trafficking racket, was involved in facilitating the firearm deal.

Ankit confessed to purchasing the pistol from Bhuri for ₹25,000, with the weapon eventually delivered by Aman at a hotel.

Additional DCP Shailendra Singh Chauhan said that following a tip-off, the Crime Branch nabbed Ankit near the Obedullaganj Railway Over Bridge. Ankit, a restaurant owner, at first misled the police regarding the pistol’s location, frequently changing his statements.

However, after intensive questioning, he revealed that the pistol and cartridge were hidden on the rooftop of an abandoned building adjacent to his shop near Bharat Talkies. Police recovered the weapons from the site, Chauhan added.

Further investigation revealed that Aman has a criminal history and has been booked at Kamla Nagar and Ratibad police stations earlier. He is also reportedly involved in MD drug supply chains originating from Delhi and Noida, strengthening suspicions of his deeper role in Yaseen’s interstate syndicate.

Police officials said a case has been registered under the Arms Act, and investigations were underway to uncover the full extent of Bhuri’s involvement and his roles in Yaseen's criminal network.

5 of Yaseen’s kin get notices over licensed firearm

Close on the heels of the arrest of Yaseen Ahmed in the MD drugs case, which exposed his deep involvement in the illegal narcotics and firearms network, the police have initiated action to contain the firepower of his family, also known as the Machhli family.

Out of the 15 names of the Machhli family members likely to carry licensed firearms that the Crime Branch reportedly forwarded, the district administration zeroed in on five. It came to light that Yaseen’s close relatives, Sohail, Sheharyar, Shafiq, Shahid, and Shavez, have gun licenses on which they own eight firearms.

Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra said show-cause notices are being issued as a procedural formality for which the owners of gun licenses have been asked to provide clarification on August 13. 

He said that the move is part of a broader strategy to dismantle the operational strength of organised criminal networks. The crackdown aims to strip Yaseen's network of its armed protection, thereby curbing its influence and reach in the region, he added.