Malihabad arms seizure case: Suspected Dubai link surfaces, Pak connection under scanner
According to investigators, Hakeem Salauddin, who was arrested on Friday from Lucknow's Malihabad area in connection with alleged involvement in the case, was in regular contact with the Dubai number, sometimes calling once or twice a day.
Investigators have also taken Salauddin's nephew, Gaush Khan, into custody for questioning. He is suspected to have critical information about Salauddin's contacts in Pakistan and other countries. According to police sources, over a dozen of Salauddin's relatives have been living in Pakistan since the 1950s, and he allegedly remained in touch with them. Neighbours have told police that Salauddin and his family travelled to Pakistan two to three times a year.
Police are now probing whether this Dubai connection is part of a larger cross-border network or a tactic by Salauddin to mislead authorities. A senior officer said, 'We are mapping the full extent of the network. The Dubai connection is a key lead, and action will be taken against all those involved.'
The laptop is currently being analysed by the cyber cell, which is retrieving emails, messages, and social media interactions that may uncover the identities of potential co-conspirators.
Surveillance teams are going through Salauddin's call detail records (CDRs) and bank transactions to identify the flow of funds and the origin of payments linked to arms dealings.
Preliminary interrogation suggested that while small orders were managed locally, larger consignments were coordinated via this international number.
The Lucknow police had busted an illegal arms manufacturing unit in a late-night raid following a tip-off in Malihabad area on Thursday, and arrested Salauddin,68, on Friday.
DCP North, Gopal Krishna Choudhary said, 'The accused was running an illegal arms manufacturing unit from a residential locality. He was also found in possession of prohibited wildlife material.'
Salahuddin confessed to manufacturing and selling illegal firearms from his home, police said, adding three pistols (.32 bore), one country-made pistol (.315 bore), two country-made pistols (.22 bore), one rifle (.22 bore), and seven airguns were later recovered from his house.
The police also recovered 18 live cartridges of .315 bore, 68 of .22 bore, and 30 of 12 bore. Besides, 40 empty cartridges (.22 bore), two live cartridges and one empty cartridge of .32 bore, various tools, saws, knives, semi-manufactured weapons, ₹ 2,000 cash, and the skin of a prohibited deer species were also recovered.
Further, the probe has confirmed that illegal arms were being manufactured inside Salauddin's residence. Skilled workers from Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, disguised as tenants, were employed for the job, according to the police. Salauddin posed as a traditional medicine practitioner and honey seller.
Police officials said they are now preparing to seek Salauddin's custody remand to explore his possible connections with elements in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and with transnational networks.
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