Maharashtra ATS arrests arms dealer who jumped bail

Mumbai: Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) today arrested an alleged arms dealer, who had been absconding after being released on bail.

Vinod R Mehrol (42) was nabbed from his home in Mumbra area of adjoining Thane district, police said, his associate Manoj Mehrol is still at large.

Vinod and Manoj were apprehended in 2012 by ATS in Mumbai. The ATS sleuths had then recovered a sophisticated automatic revolver, a country-made pistol along with a few bullets from them, police said.

The duo was later released on bail after which they went into hiding and never turned up in the court for hearing in the arms seizure case. This prompted the court to declare them proclaimed absconders and issue arrest warrant, they said.

Last week, the Vikhroli unit of ATS received a tip-off that one of the accused was hiding in Mumbra, where the Anti- Terror Squad laid a trap and arrested Vinod.

Police suspect Vinod was involved in several arms smuggling rackets in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.