BJP leader arrested after cops recover guns, swords & knives from his shop in Dombivli
During the raid at Kulkarni’s store, Thane Crime Branch recovered 170 weapons including 8 air guns, 10 swords, 25 choppers, 9 kukris, 9 guptis, 38 press button knives, 5 knives, 3 axes and a sickle
A BJP leader from Dombivli has been arrested after police raided his fashion accessories store and recovered around 170 weapons, including air guns, swords, choppers and knives.
The raid was conducted at the shop located in Tilak Nagar area in Dombivli on Monday night and the shop owner- Dhananjay Kulkarni (49)- was arrested the subsequent morning.
The BJP confirmed that Kulkarni is the vice president of the party’s Dombivli unit.
“Following a tip-off, the raid was conducted at Tapasya House of Fashion, which sells fashion accessories and cosmetic products,” Sanju John, senior inspector of Kalyan unit of Thane Crime Branch, was quoted as saying.
“Around 170 weapons, including eight air guns, 10 swords, 38 press button knives, 25 choppers, nine kukris, nine guptis (bladed weapon concealed in a wooden case), five knives, three axes, and one sickle, were recovered from the shop,” he added.
These weapons, worth an estimated Rs 1.86 lakh, were kept on sale at the shop. Kulkarni had procured the items form Crawford Market, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
He was produced before Kalyan Court, which remanded him in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Dombivli unit president Sanjay Bidwadkar told media that the material seized from Kulkarni’s shop is ‘antique’ and that he is not sure on what basis the arrest was made.
NCP president Jayant Patil took a stab at the ruling party following the arrest.
“What kind of riots does the BJP want to incite by use of these weapons?” he said and demanded an explanation from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on this issue.
“If the BJP office-bearers possess illegal weapons, there is no need of anti-social elements and terrorists,” he added.
