Sunil alias Sardhaniya was wanted in Fazilpuria Attack and Shokeen Murder Cases
In a major breakthrough in Fazilpuria attack and Shokeen murder case, the Gurugram Police on Sunday arrested wanted gangster Sunil alias Sardhaniya (39), moments after he landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Sunil had reached India from Costa Rica and was picked up by Gurugram police after he landed. Dormant for a long time, he hit headlines when he claimed responsibility for attack on rapper and singer Rahul Fazilpuria in July. This was followed by his pompous social media declaration claiming clcredit for murder of Fazilpuria associate and property dealer Rohit Shokeen in August.
Police said the accused, a resident of Sardhana village in Sonipat, had escaped India in 2024 using a fake passport issued from Delhi and was living in Costa Rica, from where he continued to coordinate gang operations in Haryana and Punjab. Acting on a specific tip-off, a team led by Inspector Anand Kumar, in-charge of the Crime Branch, Sector 31, detained him upon arrival at the airport.
According to officials, Sardhaniya played a key role in plotting the attempted shooting on singer Fazilpuria on July 14 this year, when assailants in a white Tata Punch opened fire at the artist’s vehicle near SPR Road. The bullet struck a roadside pole, narrowly missing him. He was also wanted in the murder of Rohit Shokeen, carried out by his associates on the same stretch, and the firing at a property dealer’s office in Sector 45.
Police said the accused had supplied firearms, vehicles, and shooters for these attacks and coordinated the hits from abroad. He was also in touch with gang members involved in recent extortion and contract killing cases in Gurugram.
“The accused was absconding abroad using forged documents. His arrest marks a major success in our campaign against organised crime,” said a senior Gurugram Police officer.
Officials said Sardhaniya has 24 criminal cases registered against him across Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, including murder, attempt to murder, robbery, and dacoity. He had earlier been sentenced to life imprisonment and 10 years in jail, but fled while out on bail. The accused has been remanded to five days’ police custody, and investigators are questioning him about his gang network, international links, and weapon suppliers.
