Karni Sena chief's killing: One more key suspect arrested as NIA conducts raids in Rajasthan, Haryana

Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, along with another person, was killed and two persons were injured in a daylight shootout at his Shyam Nagar residence in Jaipur on December 5.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested a key suspect in the killing of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in Jaipur last month, as it carried out raids at 31 locations in Rajasthan and Haryana.

Ashok Kumar was the ninth accused to be arrested in the case following the recovery of several arms and ammunition from his premises in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

The official said the questioning of Kumar revealed his suspicious role in the case and his association with notorious gangster Rohit Godara, an accused who had allegedly motivated the two shooters to murder Gogamedi.

Gogamedi, along with another person, was killed and two persons were injured in a daylight shootout at his Shyam Nagar residence in Jaipur on December 5. One of the injured also succumbed to injuries later.

The case, originally registered by the Rajasthan Police, was taken over by the NIA on December 11.

As part of its ongoing investigation, the spokesperson said, the NIA carried out searches at 31 locations, including the houses of the accused persons and several suspects in Rajasthan and Haryana.

NIA teams seized a large number of pistols, ammunition, digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards and DVRs, as well as incriminating documents related to financial transactions, the official said.

Two armed assailants -- Rohit Rathore of Jhotwara-Jaipur and Nitin Fauji of Dogda Jatt Mahdendragarh in Haryana -- shot dead Gogamedi, triggering widespread protests and outrage in Rajasthan.

One Naveen Shekhawat also died on the spot during the firing and later Ajeet Singh, one of the two injured, succumbed to injuries. Both Rathore and Fauji were arrested on December 9 from Chandigarh.

The spokesperson said sustained interrogation of the arrested accused and suspects revealed the involvement of hardcore criminals and members of organised criminal gangs based out of Haryana and Rajasthan in the murder.