Delhi Police Crime Branch has taken over the investigation of Rohini courtroom shootout case in which gangster Jitender Mann, alias Gogi, and two others were killed.

Since Saturday police have been deployed outside of district court in Rohini in the light of Friday’s incident.

Bar Council of Delhi chairman Rakesh Sherawat, along with other officials have reached Delhi Police headquarters to meet Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana to discuss and review security in Delhi court premises.

Gogi was shot dead in a courtroom by two assailants from the rival ‘Tilu’ gang, dressed as lawyers in broad daylight amid a packed court house. The incident took place inside the courtroom where a case was being heard against him.

The two assailants were subsequently shot dead by the police. However, the incident led to chaos and panic in the courtroom where the judge had commenced proceedings. A woman lawyer was reportedly injured in the firing.

Besides being accused in dozens of cases, including murder, kidnapping and fraud in other states, Gogi was on Delhi police’s most-wanted list. His gang was involved in possession of illegal arms, carjacking and land grabbing.

A lawyer, who was inside the courtroom at the time of the incident, told IANS that everything happened so fast that they could not even catch their breath. “The firing began just seconds before the hearing in the case of gangster Gogi. Judge Gagandeep Singh was sitting inside the courtroom,” he said, adding that there was utter chaos.

“There was an exchange of at least 30-35 rounds of bullets between the police and the attackers,” an eyewitness said.

According to sources, the attackers were from the Tilu Tajpuria gang and the Delhi Police’s Special Cell had input about the possibility of such an incident.

Karnataka Police have arrested a foreign national and seized drugs worth Rs 2.5 crore being smuggled in champagne bottles, sources said on Saturday. The contraband also included 2,500 grams of MDMA crystal powder.

The drugs were sold to students, industrialists in the reputed hotels. The investigations are on to ascertain the source of the drugs. The accused was caught while he was selling the drugs near Yusuf Maszid service road in HBR Layout, according to police.

Each Champagne bottle carrying drugs was sold for Rs 60 to Rs 70 lakh. The middleman used to pack it in small packets and sold it to the customers. Govindapura police are following leads to nab the others involved in the racket.

The accused has been identified as Dosu Khaleef, 28, a citizen of the Ivory Coast. A mobile and a two-wheeler was also seized from Khaleef.

Khaleef come to India three years ago under a tourist visa. However, the police have not retrieved visa or passport from him, police sources said. He used to bring drugs in the form of the powder packed in Champagne bottles. He used to procure drugs in Goa and bring them to Bengaluru, they add.

He is a repeated offender and was arrested by the police for selling narcotics substances in 2019 and 2020 on two occasions by Bengaluru police. However, he continued with the drug peddling after obtaining bail, police said.

A notice has also been served to the owner of the house for renting out his house without verifying the accused’s Visa and Passport.

 Three people were killed, including an undertrial gangster in a firing incident inside the Rohini Court here on Friday in a major security breach.

According to sources, the incident took place at the Rohini NDPS Court No. 207. Delhi Police Special Cell-nabbed gangster Jitender Singh Mann, alias Gogi, was being presented in the court. Gogi was shot dead by his rivals. Sources confirmed that the attackers were from Tilu Tajpuria gang.

Gogi was arrested by the special cell in April. He was involved in the killing of Haryana-based singer 22-year-old Harshita Dahiya, who was gunned down by assailants in 2017 in Panipat. Gogi carried a cash reward of Rs 4 lakh in Delhi and Rs 2.5 lakh in Haryana.

Confirming the incident, a Delhi Police spokesperson said a police team took swift action and launched counter firing. Two of the assailants were in lawyers attire and attacked the undertrial Jitender Gogi. “Both assailants died along with Gogi,” the spokesperson said.

“They killed Gogi and the cops shot them dead,” sources said adding that the Judge was present in the court at the time of the incident. A woman lawyer was also injured during the firing.

Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana also confirmed that the attackers have been neutralized.