Sharpshooter wanted in Moosewala killing, Jafrabad double murder arrested in Delhi

The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested an alleged sharpshooter wanted in multiple high-profile murder cases , including the killing of two brothers in northeast Delhi and the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer-rapper Sidhu Moosewala, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, Mahfooz Ali (45), also known as Bobby Kabootar, was apprehended near Mahipalpur on Tuesday night while travelling in an SUV along with two men and a woman. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, police laid a trap and intercepted the vehicle around midnight. Firearms were allegedly recovered from the occupants, following which they were booked under relevant provisions of the Arms Act, police said.

Police said Kabootar has been on the Delhi Police’s wanted list for nearly a decade and is accused in at least six murder cases across Delhi and other states. Among the most prominent cases linked to him is the December 16, 2025, double murder of two brothers Fazeel and Nadeem in Jafrabad, northeast Delhi. According to investigators, the brothers were travelling on a scooter when assailants opened fire, discharging 48 rounds, of which around 35 bullets struck the victims. One brother died on the spot, while the other succumbed to injuries later at a hospital. Police sources said Kabootar was allegedly among the main shooters in the attack, which is believed to be linked to gang rivalry and territorial disputes.

Punjab Police had earlier identified multiple shooters and logistical facilitators involved in the May 29, 2022, killing of Sidhu Moosewala in Punjab’s Mansa district. The murder was claimed by associates of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, whose network has been linked to several organised crime cases across states. Following Kabootar’s arrest, officials said Punjab Police has confirmed that he figures in their investigation into the Moosewala killing. Investigators suspect he may have conducted reconnaissance of the singer’s movements days before the attack and are also probing whether firearms used in the murder were sourced through him or his associates. His precise role in the case is still under investigation, police said.

Firearms seized during the Mahipalpur operation have been sent for forensic and ballistic examination to determine whether they match bullets and cartridges recovered from the Jafrabad crime scene and other murder cases linked to the same criminal network. Forensic teams are also examining the weapons for fingerprints and other biological evidence.

Investigators said Kabootar is a key shooter linked to the Hashim Baba gang, a Delhi-based criminal outfit involved in contract killings, extortion and turf wars. Police believe the gang has operational links with the Bishnoi network, with shooters and facilitators often shared between the two groups. Kabootar is also suspected to have provided logistical support in the September 2024 murder of gym owner Nadir Shah in south Delhi’s Greater Kailash area, police added.

Police said Kabootar managed to evade arrest for nearly ten years due to a combination of local support networks, inter-state movement, and the dense geography of Chauhan Bangar in northeast Delhi, where narrow lanes and interconnected rooftops often enabled suspects to escape during raids. Officials also cited coordination challenges across jurisdictions and intelligence gaps as factors that delayed his arrest.

Kabootar will be produced before a Delhi court for remand, and police are expected to seek custodial interrogation to question him about his alleged role in multiple murders, including the Moosewala case. Separate proceedings related to the Punjab case are likely to follow based on the outcome of ongoing investigations and forensic reports. Police said the criminal background of the three other persons arrested with him is being verified and further investigation is underway.