Delhi Police lists 11 gangs for growing menace of extortion, shootings

Delhi Police has identified eleven gangs involved in a series of extortion calls, threats to businessmen, shootings, and killings in the national capital region over the past few months, according to official sources.

At an interstate meeting held at the Delhi Police headquarters on Wednesday, the police chief Sanjay Arora addressed the issue of the increasing threat posed by these gangs. Officers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan were also present at the meeting.

The police commissioner instructed the officers to tackle the gangs by utilizing the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and other stringent local laws wherever applicable, as MCOCA is also enforceable in Delhi.

Arora also advised the officers to monitor minors associated with these gangsters and keep an eye on social media to gain insights into their activities.

Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang: Members of the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and the Canada-based Goldy Brar top the list of wanted criminals. This gang came into prominence after the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in Punjab in 2022. Rohit Godara, a member of the gang, claimed responsibility for the killing of Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in Jaipur last year. The gang is also notorious for issuing threats to Bollywood actor Salman Khan.

Himanshu Bhau gang: At just 22 years old, Himanshu Bhau, believed to be residing in Spain or Portugal, runs a crime syndicate based in Europe. Originally from Rohtak, Haryana, he faces over 50 cases, including murder, attempted murder, extortion threats, and violations of the Arms Act in Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab. Three of his associates were involved in a shooting at a second-hand luxury car showroom in Tilak Nagar in May. These same gangsters were allegedly responsible for a murder at a Burger King outlet in Rajouri Garden, West Delhi.

Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang: Kapil Sangwan, known as Nandu, 32, is a gangster wanted by the Haryana and Delhi Police. He is suspected to be living in the United Kingdom and is one of the main suspects in the killing of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) Haryana unit chief Nafe Singh Rathee. His elder brother Jyoti Sangwan, known as Baba, is currently in Tihar Jail.

Manjeet Mahal gang: As a henchman of the Anup-Balraj gang, Manjeet Mahal allegedly killed several associates of gangster-turned-politician Kishan Pehalwan. A resident of Mitraun village in southwest Delhi, he was active as a criminal in the late 90s and early 2000s. Mahal’s name also emerged in connection with the murder of INLD leader Bharat Singh Bharte in 2016. Although he is currently in Tihar Jail, his fellow gang members continue to target rivals of the Sangwan brothers’ gang, according to official sources.

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Jitender Gogi-Sampat Nehra gang: After a gang war with his rivals, Jitender Maan, also known as Gogi, was shot dead inside Rohini Court in September 2021. Following his death, Sampat Nehra took over leadership of the gang. A former sportsman and the son of a sub-inspector, Nehra is said to play a key role in recruiting young people and teenagers into the gang. Nehra is currently in a Punjab jail.

Kaushal gang: An arch-rival of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Kaushal Chaudhary was allegedly involved in the murder of a young politician, Vicky Middukhera, in Mohali in August 2021. He is currently in a Punjab jail and faces over a dozen cases, including murder and extortion, in Punjab and Delhi.

Neeraj Faridpuria gang: Wanted in connection with the murder of Congress leader Vikas Chaudhary in Faridabad in June 2019, Neeraj Faridpuria and his associates are notorious for extortion calls to businessmen and traders in Haryana’s grain market. A resident of Faridabad and a close associate of the Kaushal gang, his fellow gang members are also involved in extortion cases in Delhi.

Neeraj Bawana gang: This gang is led by jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana, who is believed to make extortion calls from Tihar Jail to Delhi and Haryana-based businessmen. He was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in April 2015.

Sunil Tillu gang: Sunil Maan, also known as Tillu Tajpuria, was stabbed to death by members of the rival Gogi gang in Tihar in May 2023. His gang members are reportedly seeking an opportunity to avenge his killing.

Hashim Baba gang: Jailed gangster Hashim Baba is suspected of being behind a recent shooting at Delhi’s GTB hospital that resulted in a man’s death. He faces 16 criminal cases, including murder and attempted murder. Before forming his own gang, Hashim Baba was a sharpshooter for the Nassir gang, active in the trans-Yamuna areas.

Irfan alias Chhenu gang: The Nassir-Irfan (alias Chhenu Pehalwan) gang has been engaged in a battle for supremacy in the illegal betting and gambling business in the trans-Yamuna areas.    (With inputs from PTI)