Gangster held after deportation from Bangkok

The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a notorious gangster after he was deported from Thailand following a coordinated operation involving central agencies and local authorities in Bangkok.

The accused, identified as Harsimran of Shalimar Bagh, is wanted in 23 criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, extortion and offences under the Arms Act. He also skipped trials in 14 pending cases despite being released on bail.

He fled India in January this year using a fake passport and had been trying to establish an international criminal network.

According to investigators, Harsimran began his early life in wrestling and trained in Delhi and Kolhapur. He later entered the world of crime, initially associating with local criminals such as Samunder and Manoj before forming his own gang and engaging in extortion across North-West Delhi.

Police records show that since 2005, he has been involved in several violent crimes. In November 2024, the Special Cell arrested one Mahender Singh with illegal arms and ammunition. During interrogation, Mahender revealed that the weapons were sourced from Harsimran, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Amit Kaushik. Further investigation revealed that Harsimran procured a passport under the forged identity of Rajesh Singh from Gorakhpur. A look-out circular was issued, and central agencies were roped in after it was confirmed that he flew to Bangkok in January 2025, Kaushik added.

While abroad, Harsimran allegedly threatened a witness in one of the cases against him and demanded Rs 50 lakh as protection money, leading to the registration of another FIR against him at the Mukherjee Nagar police station in February 2025, he said.

The DCP said after spending time in Bangkok, he travelled to Dubai and attempted to reach the US with the help of associates linked to gangster Goldy Dhillon, currently based in Europe. His attempts to enter the US and Europe via Belarus failed, resulting in repeated deportations. He eventually returned to Bangkok to extend his visa, where the authorities, acting on inputs and dossiers provided by Indian agencies, detained him, he said.

On November 26, he was deported to Delhi and arrested upon arrival by the Special Cell. The police said further investigation was on to identify his associates and dismantle the network he was attempting to build internationally.