Haryana gangster Rakesh Pampu, who has been named as an alleged conspirator in the murder of Shamli singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan, has approached a court seeking protection from the Uttar Pradesh Police and Special Task Force (STF) as the Shamli Police seek his custody for questioning in the case.
Additional SP (STF) Meerut, Brijesh Kumar Singh, familiar with the investigation, said that Pampu, currently lodged in Haryana’s Karnal jail in connection with another case, was named as a conspirator after investigators allegedly found evidence indicating his involvement in the planning of Baliyan’s murder.
“After learning that the Shamli police had sought his remand, Pampu approached the court with an application seeking safeguards during his custody. He has also requested that he be taken to Shamli for interrogation in handcuffs and fetters citing apprehension about his safety,” the official said.
In the application, he mentioned that his bound limbs would not let the police create some false story about his escape.
The police have moved an application seeking Pampu’s police custody remand, which investigators consider crucial to establishing the larger conspiracy behind the killing. They want to question him about the alleged motive, planning, financing and execution of the murder, besides identifying those who may have facilitated the shooters.
The development comes days after Baliyan, 32, was shot dead outside a gym in Shamli on August 26. The assailants allegedly opened fire at him before escaping on motorcycles. The murder prompted a coordinated investigation by Shamli Police and the UP STF, which examined CCTV footage, digital evidence and social media activity to identify the shooters and their alleged handlers.
The police remand application and Pampu’s plea seeking protection are expected to be taken up by the court. The outcome will determine whether investigators can take the gangster into custody for sustained questioning. Police officials said establishing the entire chain—from the alleged conspirators and handlers to the shooters—remains a key objective of the investigation.
The probe has also focused on the possible involvement of organised criminal networks. Investigators suspect that the shooters may have been engaged as contract killers and have been working to establish who ordered and financed the attack.
The alleged conspiracy angle gained further significance after two suspected sharp shooters, Mohit and Sumit, were injured in an exchange of fire with police early Monday. Both later died during treatment.
With Pampu now named in the case, investigators are seeking to establish whether he played a role in coordinating the shooters or facilitating the murder from inside the criminal network. His interrogation could potentially help investigators connect the alleged shooters with the persons who planned or commissioned the killing.
