Delhi: Wanted gangster arrested after deportation from Bangkok

Delhi: A gangster who fled the country on a fake passport and was trying to expand his criminal network internationally with foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon’s support has been arrested after he was deported from Bangkok, police said on Saturday.

The accused, Harsimran alias Badal alias Simran (38), a resident of East Shalimar Bagh, was deported from Bangkok to Delhi on November 26 following coordinated efforts between Indian central agencies and Thai authorities, they said.

Investigators said Harsimran procured a passport under the fictitious identity of Rajesh Singh from Gorakhpur and flew to Bangkok in January this year with the help of Europe-based gangster Goldy Dhillon, a senior police officer said.

He subsequently travelled to Dubai and attempted to reach the US and Europe with the help of human traffickers and associates of Dhillon. Police said his attempts to enter Europe through Azerbaijan and later the Belarus-Latvia-Poland route failed after he was detained and deported.

He returned to Bangkok for a visa extension and was detained there based on inputs passed on by Indian agencies. His passport obtained under the forged identity was revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs, facilitating his deportation, he added.

Police said Harsimran was apprehended upon his arrival at the Delhi airport. He has been arrested in an FIR registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.

Harsimran has a long criminal history and is named in 23 cases, including extortion, murder, attempt to murder and offences under the Arms Act. He is listed as a ‘bad character’ of Shalimar Bagh police station and is a convicted offender in two cases, the officer said.

After fleeing India, the accused allegedly threatened a key witness in one of the cases against him. He asked the witness to turn hostile and demanded Rs 50 lakh from him. Based on this, a fresh FIR was registered against the gangster at Mukherjee Nagar police station earlier this year, the officer said.

After being released on bail, Harsimran stopped attending court hearings in at least 14 cases.

According to police, Harsimran started out as a wrestler in Delhi and Maharashtra before getting involved in crime after coming into contact with gangsters operating in Burari, Sagarpur and northwest Delhi. He later aligned with members of Dhillon’s gang and allegedly planned to run international operations from the US and Europe.

Police said the arrest of another accused, Mahender Singh, in a 2010 murder case led them to Harsimran. During interrogation, Singh revealed that the arms and ammunition seized from him were sourced from Harsimran.

A Lookout Circular was issued, and central agencies worked jointly with Delhi Police to trace him.

Harsimran is currently being interrogated, police said.

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