The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has allegedly uncovered a major ammunition diversion network involving the theft of Border Security Force (BSF) cartridges from camps in Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Jaisalmer, and other locations. According to investigators, the stolen government ammunition was allegedly diverted and sold to criminal syndicates and Naxal groups through an organised supply chain operating over several years.
According to the investigation, the alleged mastermind of the network has been identified as Arun Kumar Singh, alias “Fauji,” a former BSF personnel who joined the force in 1992 and took voluntary retirement (VRS) in 2003. Investigators believe his association with the alleged network dates back to his service tenure, when he reportedly came into contact with Kartik Behera, who was posted in the ammunition management unit of the BSF’s 116 Battalion in Manipur.
The probe suggests that the alleged conspiracy originated after Kartik Behera had reportedly borrowed ₹2 lakh from Arun Kumar Singh to help secure employment for his brother. When Singh later sought repayment after retirement, Behera allegedly claimed he was unable to return the money and instead proposed supplying government ammunition at low prices, which could then allegedly be sold to criminal groups and Naxal operatives for substantial profits.
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Investigators allege that the ammunition was diverted by manipulating firing practice records. According to the NIA, cartridges that remained unused during training exercises were falsely recorded as having been expended. The allegedly unaccounted-for ammunition was then secretly retained instead of being returned to official stock, enabling it to be diverted outside the security system.
The investigation further alleges that in 2016 alone, Kartik Behera supplied Arun Kumar Singh with 945 rounds of 9mm and AK-47 ammunition. Officials claim the cartridges were allegedly procured at around ₹100 per round and later sold to criminal networks and Naxal groups for nearly ₹400 per round, generating significant illegal profits.
According to investigators, Arun Kumar Singh regularly travelled by road and train to BSF establishments in Jaisalmer, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, and Jammu to collect consignments. The NIA states that hotel registers and travel-related records, including entries at hotels where the accused allegedly stayed during these visits, have been examined as part of the investigation to establish the movement of the accused and the alleged links between members of the network.
The agency said the investigation remains ongoing and that additional evidence, financial transactions, communication records, and logistical links are being analysed to identify the full extent of the alleged ammunition diversion network. Authorities have indicated that further legal action may follow if additional individuals are found to have been involved in the alleged conspiracy.
