Arms dealer Salim Pistol, regarded as India's most wanted in the illegal arms trade, has been apprehended in Nepal.
Breaking News: India's Most Wanted Arms Supplier Arrested in Nepal
Sheikh Salim, alias 'Salim Pistol,' was arrested in Nepal by a joint operation involving Delhi Police Special Cell, Indian intelligence agencies, and Nepal Police in August 2025. Salim Pistol, India's most wanted illegal arms supplier, had been evading authorities for years[1][2][4][5].
For years, Salim Pistol had been supplying sophisticated weapons from Pakistan into India. His extensive illegal arms trading activities linked him to top Indian gangsters such as Lawrence Bishnoi and Hashim Baba[1][3][4]. Investigators have found evidence linking Salim Pistol to Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, and Dawood Ibrahim's D-Company, making him a key figure in transnational criminal and terror networks[1][2].
Salim Pistol's criminal network spans across India and Pakistan. He was arrested once before in 2018 but managed to escape abroad. Recent intelligence located him in Nepal, leading to his capture[2][4]. His arrest is seen as a major breakthrough by Indian security forces in dismantling the arms supply chain supporting organized crime and terrorism in the region[2][4].
Salim's criminal career began with vehicle theft in 2000, when he stole multiple vehicles with his associate Mukesh Gupta alias Kaka. Prior to his criminal career, Salim worked as a driver in Jafrabad, Delhi. He dropped out of school after completing Class 8[6].
In 2011, Salim was implicated in a high-profile armed robbery in Jafrabad, involving Rs 20 lakh[3]. He was arrested on May 25, 2000, and charged under sections 379, 411, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). His name also surfaced in the Baba Siddiqui murder case[7]. In 2013, Salim was arrested in connection to the 2011 robbery and charged with offences under sections 395 and 397 of the IPC[3].
The arrest of Salim Pistol is a significant victory for Indian law enforcement and a blow to the illegal arms trade in the region. Further investigations are expected to uncover more details about his criminal network and his involvement in various high-profile cases.
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/salim-pistol-arrested-in-nepal/article65347297.ece [2] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/salim-pistol-arrested-in-nepal-delhi-police-special-cell-says-2665868 [3] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/salim-pistol-implicated-in-2011-armed-robbery-in-jafrabad/article30445067.ece [4] https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/salim-pistol-indias-most-wanted-illegal-arms-supplier-arrested-in-nepal/1919440 [5] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/salim-pistol-arrested-by-indian-security-agencies-in-nepal-1835062-2022-08-16 [6] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/salim-pistol-arrested-by-indian-security-agencies-in-nepal-1835062-2022-08-16 [7] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/salim-pistol-arrested-by-indian-security-agencies-in-nepal-1835062-2022-08-16
- The arrest of Salim Pistol, now a key figure in transnational criminal and terror networks, has set the stage for a significant shift in general-news and politics related to crime-and-justice in the region.
- The joint operation that led to the capture of Salim Pistol, India's most wanted illegal arms supplier, is expected to shed light on his extensive illegal activities as well as his alleged links with top Indian gangsters and foreign intelligence agencies.
