A key suspect in the high-profile murder case of Vikas Prabhakar, also known as Vikas Bagga, president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Nangal unit, has been arrested, the Delhi Police disclosed on Monday.
Vikas Bagga was shot dead on April 13, 2024 at his confectionery shop in Nangal, Punjab. The case was initially registered at the Nangal police station in the Rupnagar district of the state before being transferred to the NIA in May 2024 considering the seriousness of the matter.
The accused, identified as Dharminder Kumar, also known as Kunal, a 22-year-old resident of Ludhiana, Punjab, Kumar is accused of supplying the weapons used in the assassination of Vikas Prabhakar. He has a history of involvement in the illegal arms trade with two cases under the Arms Act previously registered against him in Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, said Police
Kumar was apprehended during a joint operation conducted by a special cell of the Delhi Police, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Sherpur Kalan in Ludhiana in coordinated efforts and timely intelligence sharing between the Delhi Police and the NIA.
During interrogation, Kumar reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime. According to the accused’s statement, after being released from jail in April this year, he contacted an individual based in a Middle Eastern country through social media, who allegedly instructed him to arrange weapons, which he procured from Madhya Pradesh and supplied to the assailants.
The has been arrested by the NIA under multiple charges, including relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P) Act), 1967.