In a significant breakthrough, the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) in Surat apprehended the alleged mastermind of the notorious Bhopal-based Raju Irani gang on Saturday. The accused, Aabid Ali Irani, who also goes by the names Raju or Raheman Dakait, was captured days after he managed to escape a massive police operation in Madhya Pradesh's capital.
Elusive Criminal with a Lavish Lifestyle
Irani is a wanted figure in a slew of criminal cases spanning multiple states, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. One of the most serious allegations against him involves an attempt to set an entire family ablaze in Bhopal, suspecting one member of being a police informant.
Investigators revealed that Irani led an opulent life, owning luxury cars, motorcycles, and even horses. His criminal enterprise allegedly involved providing legal aid to arrested syndicate members across states and claiming a fixed share from the thefts and robberies executed by his gang.
The Great Escape and Eventual Capture
The net began to close on Irani on December 28 last year, when a formidable team of approximately 150 police personnel raided the Irani Dera locality in Bhopal, considered his operational base. The crackdown led to the detention of 34 men and 10 women for questioning. However, in a major setback, Irani himself slipped through the police cordon.
After his escape from Bhopal, he reportedly first fled to Maharashtra before eventually making his way to Surat in Gujarat, where the DCB sleuths successfully tracked him down and placed him under arrest.
Modus Operandi: Deception and Disguise
Police officials detailed the gang's sophisticated and deceptive methods. Members frequently impersonated CBI or police officers to trap their victims. One common tactic was to warn people about an "upcoming police check" and then make off with their valuables in the confusion.
Another method involved splashing dirt or similar substances on potential victims and stealing their belongings while they were distracted cleaning themselves. The gang also employed clever disguises, sometimes dressing up as religious mendicants to gain unsuspecting entry into targeted homes.
Their criminal activities extended to highways, where they would block roads with barricades while posing as police personnel to carry out robberies. According to police sources, during raids, women from the gang's locality would allegedly pelt stones at law enforcement teams to buy crucial escape time for the male members. Recruits were even trained to speak Hindi in the precise tone and style of police personnel to make their impersonation more convincing.
The arrest of Aabid Ali Irani marks a crucial victory for interstate police cooperation and deals a severe blow to a syndicate known for its brazen and manipulative crimes across several Indian states.
