Sidhu Moosewala murder: Alleged shooter Bobby Kabootar held in Delhi

New Delhi: The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested an alleged sharpshooter who was on the run in several high-profile murder cases, officials said on Wednesday. The accused, Mahfooz Ali (45), better known by his alias Bobby Kabootar, was apprehended late Tuesday night near Mahipalpur. 

He was travelling in an SUV accompanied by two men and a woman when the Special Cell team intercepted the vehicle following a targeted operation, police sources said.

During the interception, officers allegedly recovered firearms from the occupants. All four individuals have been booked under relevant sections of the Arms Act, while background verification of the three co-passengers is underway, investigators added.

Kabootar had been listed as wanted in multiple criminal cases, including at least six murder investigations.

Among the most prominent is the December 16, 2025, double murder of two brothers, Fazeel and Nadeem, in northeast Delhi’s Jaffrabad. According to police sources, Kabootar was allegedly one of the principal shooters in the attack.

Investigators claim that the assailants opened fire on the victims while they were riding a scooter, discharging dozens of rounds. The brothers sustained multiple gunshot wounds; one died at the scene, while the other later succumbed to injuries at a hospital. The incident had triggered widespread concern over escalating gang violence in the area.

Police sources further indicated that Kabootar is suspected to have links with the Hashim Baba gang, which has been associated with a series of violent crimes tied to gang rivalry and territorial disputes in the national capital.

In addition, Kabootar is being examined for a possible connection to the September 2024 murder of gym owner Nadir Shah in Greater Kailash. While officials cautioned that his precise role is yet to be established, sources said he may have provided logistical assistance to shooters involved in that case.

Authorities are also probing claims that Kabootar is wanted in connection with the 2022 killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in Punjab’s Mansa district.

Police sources allege he may have conducted reconnaissance of the singer’s movements ahead of the attack and could have been part of a network involved in sourcing weapons. However, investigators emphasised that these aspects remain under verification.

Officials said Kabootar had managed to evade arrest for nearly a decade despite repeated raids. He was allegedly aided by associates and relatives, particularly in the Chauhan Bangar area of northeast Delhi. The locality’s narrow lanes and interconnected terraces often made search operations challenging, an officer noted.

Kabootar’s nickname, police said, dates back to his early adulthood when he reportedly reared pigeons on his terrace, a detail that later became synonymous with his identity in police dossiers. With the arrest, the Special Cell hopes to make progress in several pending cases. Further investigation is ongoing.