Fugitive gangster arrested at Delhi airport
In a significant breakthrough in the fight against organised crime, the Special Task Force (STF), Haryana, on Sunday apprehended fugitive gangster Kunal Joon at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. Joon, a key member of the notorious Rahul Baba gang, was wanted in 15 cases of heinous crimes, including those registered at various police stations in Jhajjar and Rohtak districts.
“His arrest was made possible following a meticulously coordinated international operation spanning several countries and months, with vital support from INTERPOL and foreign law enforcement agencies," said Waseem Akram, Superintendent of Police, STF, Haryana, in Bahadurgarh on Sunday. He was joined by another STF SP Vikrant Bhushan and Bahadurgarh DCP Mayank Mishra during the press conference.
Akram said Joon of Noona Majra village (Jhajjar) had fled India using a fraudulently obtained passport and continued to operate his criminal network from abroad. After being declared a proclaimed offender, an FIR was also registered against him at the Sadar police station, Bahadurgarh.
“The STF received intelligence in September 2024 about Joon's presence in Dubai, prompting swift coordination with national and international agencies. He subsequently travelled to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan from Dubai, attempting to evade capture. In October, INTERPOL issued a red corner notice against him. Later, a provision request for the arrest of Joon was sent to Kazakhstan authorities through INTERPOL channels. In November, Joon was intercepted by the Kazakhstan Police at Almaty International Airport while attempting to flee to Ukraine via Moldova,” Akram claimed.
He maintained that Joon’s arrest was facilitated through timely dissemination of INTERPOL alerts and strong international collaboration. Indian authorities had also revoked his fraudulently acquired passport to restrict his mobility. Following his detention, a provisional arrest request was submitted to Kazakhstan through diplomatic channels, leading to the initiation of extradition proceedings, he added.
DCP Mishra informed that acting on final intelligence, a team led by DSP Naresh Kumar coordinated with immigration officials at Delhi Airport, where Joon was intercepted based on look out circulars and the red corner notice. He was taken into custody under tight security. “Joon will be produced in a court to seek police remand for further investigation of his criminal network," Mishra added.
