Raheman Dakait arrested: Inside the hunt for Bhopal crime boss who fooled cops across states

SURAT: The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) sleuths on Saturday arrested the mastermind of the Bhopal-based Raju Irani gang, days after he fled Madhya Pradesh's capital during a massive police operation.

The accused, Aabid Ali Irani, also known as Raju or Raheman Dakait, is wanted in multiple criminal cases across MP, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Irani is also accused of attempting to set an entire family on fire in Bhopal after suspecting one of its members of being a police informer.

On Dec 28 last year, a team of around 150 policemen raided the Irani Dera locality, from where he allegedly ran his operations. During the crackdown, 34 men and 10 women were detained for questioning. However, Irani managed to slip away.

Investigators said Irani led a lavish lifestyle, owning luxury cars, motorcycles and horses. He allegedly provided legal assistance to arrested gang members across states and collected a fixed share from thefts and robberies carried out by the syndicate.

After escaping from Bhopal, Irani reportedly fled to Maharashtra before making his way to Surat, where he was arrested.

Police said the gang members frequently impersonate CBI or police officers to trap unsuspecting victims. In several cases, they would warn people about an "upcoming police check" and flee with their valuables. Another tactic involved splashing dirt or other substances on victims and stealing valuables while they were distracted cleaning themselves.

The gang also used disguises, including dressing up as religious mendicants, to gain entry into targeted homes. In some cases, they carried out highway robberies by blocking roads with barricades while posing as police personnel.

According to police sources, women from the locality would allegedly pelt stones at law enforcement teams during raids to buy time for gang members to escape.

Recruits were also trained to speak Hindi in the same tone and style as police personnel to make their impersonation more convincing.