Delhi Police Special Cell arrested wanted contract killer Gagan Pandit

New Delhi, April 11

Delhi Police Special Cell arrested wanted contract killer Gagan Pandit with one of his associates at Shah Alam Bandh road.

The accused identified as Gagan Bhardwaj alias Gagan Pandit (33) from Paschim Vihar, and Varun alias Veeru alias Gaurav (19) from Lal Quan carry cash rewards on their names. 

The special cell stated that both have been arrested at about 05.05 am near Nirankari Samagam grounds at Shah Alam Bandh Road in a Scorpio car. One semi-automatic pistol of .32 with 4  live cartridges from Gagan Pandit and one single shot pistol of .315 with 2 live cartridges from Varun and one empty shell fired by Gagan Pandit at the spot have been recovered at the time of their arrest. 

The officials added that the duo were carrying rewards declared by Delhi Police. While Gagan Pandit was carrying Rs. One lakh on his name Varun was carrying Rs. 50,000/- for any information leading to their arrest in a case of contract killing in the area of GTB Enclave in the year 2020.

The officials added that both the arrested accused were wanted in a sensational shoot-out in GTB Enclave in September 2020 which resulted in the death of one Ekta Joshi, a transgender. Ekta Joshi was fired upon by two scooty borne persons namely Aamir and Gagan Pandit. 

As per this case deatails, deceased Ekta Joshi with her step mother Anita Joshi and step brother Ashish Joshi had come from Laxmi Nagar. On September 5, 2020 at around 08:30 PM when they were alighting from their car near their house in GTB Enclave two persons riding on a Scooty suddenly arrived and fired multiple shots causing her immediate death.  

The special cell had received information that Gagan Pandit alongwith his associate Varun would arrive in a Scorpio car of Haryana number near Nirankari Samagam Grounds after which a trap was laid. At about 5 AM, Gagan Pandit and Varun sitting in the above Scorpio car were spotted coming from Majlis Park Metro Station side. Both the occupants of the car were signaled to stop, but they whipped out their pistols and fired at the police team. The special cell officials however did not fire at them yet overpowered the duo and disarmed them. 

The officials seized one semi-automatic pistol of .32 and four live cartridges from the possession of Gagan Pandit and one single shot pistol of .315 and two live cartridges were recovered from the possession of Varun. One empty shell fired by Gagan Pandit was also recovered from the spot. 

The special cell has booked the accused under appropriate sections of law. 

The officials said that Gagan Pandit confessed to a contract killing for Rs. 55 lacs which was executed by him alongwith seven others. Gagan Pandit further disclosed that he is the mastermind of the execution of said murder of Ekta Joshi. He also revealed that one Manzoor Elahi, a member of a group of transgenders had approached him for killing Anita Joshi and Ekta Joshi, members of a rival group of transgenders. Manzoor Elahi agreed to pay Rs. 55 lacs to Gagan Pandit for this contract killing. The advance payment of Rs. 15 lacs was initially made in three installments by Manjoor Elahi to Gagan Pandit. It is also worthwhile to mention here that groups of transgenders headed by Sonam and Varsha of Faridabad and Kamal and Manjoor Elahi of GTB Enclave, Delhi were the rivals of a group of Ekta Joshi and her step mother Anita Joshi. 

The officials further said that the bone of contention between both groups of transgenders was rivalry on the issue of domination of the area in trans-Yamuna for collecting money from the people on social occasions. 

The officials stated that Gagan Pandit is a habitual criminal previously arrested/involved in 14 cases including one case of murder, four cases of attempt to murder, three cases of dacoity, three cases of robbery and other cases of arms act,  theft etc. in Delhi and UP. He is also wanted in a case of robbery of the area of DBG Road in Delhi of the year 2020.