Nandu gang operative held at Delhi airport after 2 years on the run

A key member of the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang, who was absconding abroad for nearly two years and declared a proclaimed offender in multiple criminal cases, was arrested at the Delhi airport, police said on Monday.

Manoj Rathee, 33, a resident of Haryana, was wanted in a 2021 murder case registered at Najafgarh Police Station and in two Arms Act cases registered at Baba Haridas Nagar and the Special Cell. He had been declared a proclaimed offender by a city court.

Rathee was intercepted at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on January 9 on the basis of a Look Out Circular (LOC) and subsequently arrested, they said.

According to a senior officer, the Arms Act case against Rathee dates back to February 4, 2024, when two weapon suppliers — Ankit Mishra and Jitendra Rajput of Madhya Pradesh — were arrested by the Special Cell with 12 illegal pistols.

“During interrogation, the duo disclosed that the consignment was meant for Manoj Rathee and his associates in Delhi,” said the officer.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Rathee fled the country soon after the arrest of the suppliers. An open-dated non-bailable warrant was issued against him on March 5, 2024, by a city court, following which an LOC was opened.

“During interrogation after his arrest, Rathee disclosed that he was also wanted in a murder case registered in 2021 at the Najafgarh police station. Rathee came in contact with gangster Kapil Sangwan in 2019 and began working for his gang.

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“In 2021, he and his associates allegedly murdered a property dealer in Najafgarh on Sangwan’s instructions, following which he was arrested and later released on bail after spending nearly three years in jail,” the officer said.

After securing bail, Rathee started coordinating the procurement of illegal weapons for the gang from suppliers based in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. He later escaped abroad and continued working for the gang from outside the country.