In the last few weeks, a spate of extortion calls to traders in Delhi and NCR has kept citizens and the police on their toes. The police knew that gangsters, some of them in jail, were behind them but could not figure out who to target.
The police have now solved that puzzle. Officials said that two members of different gangs in the district jail at Dausa in Rajasthan were arrested based on information received from a person who came from outside.
One of them was former Mukim black gang member Mehtab Kana, a senior police officer said on Wednesday. The second goon was Lawrence Bishnoi’s associate Sumit Yadav.
Kana allegedly provided information to the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate about traders who could extort donations in Delhi-NCR, the official in Dausa jail said, he added.
31-year-old Kana — also known as Jiva and Pradhan — of Balwa Gurjan village in UP’s Shamli is serving a life sentence after being booked in UP and Rajasthan for murder, attempt to murder and dacoity. One case, the official added.
The police said that Kana was arrested in 2015 for his involvement in the November 2014 murder. He was detained in Jaipur jail until early 2023 before being transferred to Dausa District Jail. “In the meantime, in 2021, Mukim Kala was killed during a gang war in Chitrakoot Jail. Since then, Kana has taken over the gang,’ said the officer.
It was in Dausa jail in 2023, the official claimed, that Kana allied his gang with the Lawrence Bishnoi-Hashim Baba syndicate. “During this period, he came in contact with Yadav who was initially lodged in a high-security jail in Ajmer in a murder case before being shifted to Dausa jail,” the official said.
The police have found out that Kana’s relatives also passed on the information.
“Relative Irfan lived in Kabir Nagar, Delhi. Kana asked Irfan to visit major places and markets in Delhi and take details of the traders making huge profits. Irfan used to take the phone numbers of these businessmen and give them to Kana, who would share them with Yadav,” the official said, adding that Yadav would then pass on the details to Rohit Godara, an associate of Lawrence Bishnoi.
Police said Irfan’s role came to light after a Jamia Nagar school owner filed a complaint at the Shaheen Bagh police station on November 5, claiming he received a call from Godra demanding Rs 2 crore. “Irfan and his aide gave details of the school owner to Kana. Technical surveillance revealed that Irfan used to frequently contact Kana and Yadav in Dausa Jail,” the officer said.
On November 30, Irfan and his accomplice were arrested by a team of Special Cell (New Delhi Range), police said.
Police said that this is the second businessman that Irfan informed Godra. “In September, a jeans dealer in Vikaspuri received an extortion call from Godara, based on Irfan’s information,” the official said.
Police said that 27-year-old Irfan, who deals in jeans, has no previous criminal record. “His brother is currently in Mandoli jail, and was in touch with members of the Bishnoi-Baba gang. Through him, Irfan came in contact with Kana and Yadav,” the officer said.
After Irrfan’s arrest, the Delhi Police has requested the production of Kana from Rajasthan, a police official said.
Kana was also involved in the alliance between Mukim Kala and gangster Anil Dujana in 2015, the official said. The latter arranged weapons including AK 47 for the gang.
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