In a major breakthrough, India’s most wanted illegal arms supplier, Sheikh Salim, alias ‘Salim Pistol,’ was arrested in Nepal on Saturday, August 8, 2025, following a coordinated operation by Delhi Police’s Special Cell, Indian security agencies, and Nepal Police. The capture of Salim, a pivotal figure in cross-border arms trafficking, marks a significant setback to criminal networks linked to high-profile crimes, including the murders of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddiqui.

A Criminal Empire Unraveled

Salim, a resident of Seelampur and Jafrabad in Delhi, has been a key player in supplying sophisticated weapons, including Turkish-made Zigana pistols, to notorious gangsters like Lawrence Bishnoi and Hashim Baba. His network, which spanned India and Pakistan, allegedly smuggled arms from Pakistan via Nepal, often dismantling weapons into parts and hiding them in modified vehicle compartments to evade detection. Investigators have uncovered evidence linking Salim to Pakistan’s ISI and Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company, highlighting the international scope of his operations.

Salim’s criminal career began modestly with vehicle thefts in 2000, alongside associate Mukesh Gupta, alias Kaka, leading to his arrest under sections 379, 411, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. By 2011, he had escalated to armed robbery, implicated in a Rs 20 lakh heist in Jafrabad, resulting in his 2013 arrest under sections 395 and 397. After his 2018 arrest for arms trafficking, Salim fled abroad while on bail, evading authorities until recent intelligence pinpointed his hideout in Nepal.

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Links to High-Profile Crimes

Salim’s name surfaced in connection with the 2022 murder of Sidhu Moosewala, where he allegedly supplied weapons to the perpetrators. His involvement also extends to the Baba Siddiqui murder case, underscoring his role in arming criminal syndicates. Police sources indicate Salim mentored one of the accused in the Moosewala case and was instrumental in introducing Zigana pistols to India’s underworld, with each pistol fetching up to Rs 6 lakh on the black market.

The Arrest and Its Implications

Acting on precise intelligence, Indian and Nepalese authorities tracked Salim to Nepal, where he had been hiding since his 2018 escape. The joint operation culminated in his arrest, disrupting a major artery of illegal arms flow into India. Authorities are now seeking his extradition to face charges of arms smuggling, conspiracy, and links to organized crime. His capture is expected to yield critical insights into the operations of ISI-backed networks and D-Company’s activities in India.

This arrest sends a strong message to transnational criminal networks, as India intensifies efforts to curb illegal arms trafficking fueling gang violence and high-profile crimes.

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