On Tuesday, the UP Special Task Force (STF) recovered the huge cache of around 1975 ‘Made in Italy’ 12-bore cartridges in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut from cab driver Rashid Ali, who is alleged to be a member of an interstate firearms racket involved in supplying cartridges illegally to criminal gangs.
As per the STF officials, Rashid Ali of Muzaffarnagar revealed that the ammunition was supplied from the Rana Institute of Shooting Sports owned by the family of ace international shooter Jaspal Rana.
The STF claimed that the accused revealed that Jaspal Rana’s younger brother Subhash Rana and another para-shooter Saksham Malik, who are associated with the same institute, provided these cartridges to him to deliver it to an unidentified man in Meerut.
STF Meerut’s additional superintendent of police (ASP) Brijesh Kumar Singh said while Ali named Subhash Rana in connection with the case, their direct role in the supply chain was yet to be confirmed.
He said a team had already been deployed to trace the legal source of the recovered cartridges after which notices will be sent to the person who provided the cartridges, for further questioning in the matter.
Another Meerut police official privy to the investigation said accused Rashid Ali revealed during further interrogation that the cartridges were meant to be delivered to some men from Punjab, who are suspected to be linked with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang.
“Further investigation is going on to establish the link with Bishnoi gang,” he said and added, “We are working in coordination with Punjab Police and some more arrests are likely in the matter”.
Days after the STF’s claim, people associated with the institute refuted allegations that the recovered cartridges were supplied from the institute, saying Shubash Rana, who was conferred Dronacharya Award-2024 for his contribution to para-shooting, was unnecessarily dragged into the controversy.
“We are ready for any inquiry. The institute has maintained the record of every cartridge and its details are provided to the district magistrate concerned annually,” they claimed.
The people associated with the institute put all blame on Shaksham Malik, who is also a national-level para-shooter. As per them, Malik might have provided the ammunition to the accused arrested in Meerut.
Earlier on Tuesday, the STF registered an FIR at Pallav Puram police station against Shaksham Malik, his accomplice Shaurya Malik, Shubash Rana and one Guddu Chacha besides Rashid Ali.
The case has been filed under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 61 (1-A) for illegal possession of ammunition, along with sections 3, 5, and 25(1) (H) of the Arms Act, 1959.
According to the STF, Ali had previously delivered arms and ammunition across multiple locations. In October 2024, he reportedly supplied 17 firearms—including five single-barrel guns and 12 double-barrel guns—along with 700 cartridges of .315 bore to a contact named Rohan in Meerut’s Kankarkheda area.
