City police arrest kingpin of Irani gang in Mumbai

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 23

The local police have finally nabbed the kingpin of the Irani gang of Mumbai, members of which looted traders by posing as policemen. He was nabbed by a special police team from Mumbai.

Additional DCP Gurpreet Singh Sikand, ACP Waryam Singh and Kotwali SHO Amandeep Singh addressed a press conference today. They said the gang perpetrated three robberies in the city in the recent past. On September 29, Chhattisgarh-based garment trader Jasraj was robbed of Rs 1.4 lakh by four motorcycle-borne persons posing as policemen at Lakkad Bazaar. Half an hour later, Sharwan Kumar of Aligarh, MP, was robbed of Rs 3.8 lakh by four motorcycle-borne persons, also posing as policemen, at Brahmpuri Chowk. On October 2, a Bihar trader was robbed of Rs 57,000 at Trunkawala Chowk.

The kingpin of the gang has been identified as Lallu Khani Irani, alias Bulldozer (55), a resident of Patel Nagar, Ambivali, Mumbai. Three members of the gang, who are still at large, are Amzad Samir Jafri, Yusuf Ajit Ali and Shakir, all residents of Mumbai. The police said the gang was called Irani gang because their ancestors were from Iran, and they settled here around 200 years ago.

Sikand said a 10-member team of the city poice, led by SHO Amandeep Singh, raided the Irani Basti in Ambivali and arrested him.

Sikand said the accused stole two motorcycles from Delhi railway station which they used to reach Ludhiana. After robbing traders by posing as policemen, the members of the gang fled back to Delhi, and from there to Mumbai. The police got important leads through CCTV footage and sent a police team to Mumbai.

The ADCP said Kotwali SHO Amandeep did a stupendous job by nabbing the kingpin and he would recommend him for a suitable reward.

Sources said the gang had also robbed people in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan.

Irani wanted by police of seven states

The police said the kingpin of the gang, Lallu Khani Irani, alias Bulldozer (55), was wanted by the police of seven states, UP, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The gang has more than 100 members who rob their victims by posing as policemen. Additional DCP Gurpreet Singh Sikand said Irani entered into the crime world when he was just 10 years old. Children of most members of the gang are trained in crime in their childhood. Irani is facing 45 cases of loot and theft registered at police stations in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Patiala.

Most successful member is made kingpin

The police said during preliminary questioning, the accused revealed that the most successful robber of their community was made the kingpin of the gang and also got the chance to get the girl of his choice for marriage within the community. He got more dowry than the others.