Guwahati: An investigation into an armed extortion complaint ended with Guwahati Police uncovering a private arsenal at a city residence. Officers recovered a pistol, three rifles and more than 360 live rounds of ammunition from the home of a businessman with multiple criminal cases against him.The recovery followed a raid at the Bonda residence of 39-year-old Avik Das alias Abhimanyu Das on Thursday, hours after police registered an FIR alleging that he had threatened a former business associate, Bishan Sonowal, at gunpoint and extorted Rs 3 lakh.According to Central Police District, Guwahati Commissionerate, Das and Sonowal were previously business partners and fell out after losses in a joint venture. Sonowal later worked as manager at Das’s BPO from June 18 to June 28, during which he was allegedly repeatedly intimidated.Investigators said the confrontation culminated on June 28 when Das allegedly called Sonowal to his residence Chapaidong in Bonda, demanded Rs 5.5 lakh at gunpoint and fired a warning shot near his feet. Police said Das assaulted Sonowal, forced him to sign documents under duress and made him transfer Rs 3 lakh online.Police said Das allegedly detained Sonowal’s car as security for the remaining amount and threatened to scrap the vehicle if the balance was not paid. Police also alleged that Das repeatedly intimidated the victim’s fiancée over the phone.Acting on the FIR lodged on July 2, a team from Pragjyotishpur police station raided the house and arrested Das. Officers recovered Sonowal’s car and found an empty cartridge at the entrance of the house, corroborating the allegation that a firearm had been discharged.The subsequent search yielded an unexpectedly large cache of weapons and ammunition. Police seized an Indian-made Cheetah .30 calibre pistol with three magazines, a 7×57 mm bolt-action rifle, an antique double-barrel rifle and a .177 calibre air rifle.Police said they also recovered a massive cache of over 360 live rounds of ammunition, including 102 live rounds of .30 calibre ammunition, 156 live rounds for the 7×57mm rifle, 50 rounds of 70mm high-velocity Shaktiman Express cartridges, and 60 live rounds of .325mm cartridges, along with a container of air gun pellets. Police also recovered 80 empty cartridges of various calibres.In addition to the arms, ammunition, and Sonowal’s car, the police seized the accused’s vehicle and three mobile phones and an arms licence issued by the office of the Dimapur deputy commissioner in Nagaland in Das’s name.Police records show Das as a history-sheeter with four chargesheeted criminal cases registered between 2021 and 2025 in Guwahati, Golaghat and Goalpara.“The investigations are actively underway to verify the authenticity of the Nagaland state issued arms licence and to uncover any broader illegal arms procurement channels linked to his past criminal activities,” a police statement said.
