Varanasi, June 6 (IANS) In a significant development in Varanasi, police have arrested Amit Pathak, who is said to be an assistant to Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Rai, in connection with a series of robberies and thefts.

Pathak, aged 45, was nabbed along with an accomplice. Both of them are implicated in multiple criminal activities across various regions, and police have termed Pathak the leader of the gang.

The police have registered a case against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including extortion (Section 384), burglary at night (Section 457), robbery (Section 392), insult (Section 504), criminal intimidation (Section 506), and molestation of a woman (Section 354). The Varanasi Commissionerate Police are carrying out an investigation and are on the hunt to nab other individuals involved in the criminal network.

The arrests have sent shockwaves through political and law enforcement circles, with investigations now pointing toward a wider network of criminal activity. The police team arrested Pathak and his accomplice after a long tracking and continued surveillance. Both individuals are said to be involved in multiple criminal cases, with charges ranging from burglary to molestation. The FIRs registered against them run into dozens and include serious allegations of extortion, robbery, and violence against women.

Ajay Rai’s PA and the other individual were arrested under Case No. 102/2025. The arrested individuals had been operating with impunity, and they had built a network that targeted vulnerable homes and individuals. They often used political connections to protect themselves from any action or scrutiny. The inclusion of molestation charges has added further gravity to the case. The victims are now beginning to come forward with their statements.

Commissionerate police have stated that further investigations are underway, and efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the gang. “This is just the beginning. We believe there are more people involved, and no one will be spared, regardless of their political or social position,” said a senior police official involved in the case.

While the Congress has yet to issue a formal statement, the arrest of someone closely linked to a senior political leader is likely to raise serious questions about the vetting of personal staff and potential misuse of influence.

BJP national spokesperson Ajay Alok said: “Have you all heard of ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’? These days, something quite similar is going on with the Gangs of Gandhi Family… This gang is truly remarkable. Just recently, in Varanasi, the police busted a gang of robbers. Two individuals were arrested. There are over 150 cases against them, including theft, robbery, and harassment of women. And do you know who is the mastermind behind these two thieves? A man named Amit Pathak. Who is Amit Pathak? He is the private secretary to the PCC president, that is, the Congress party’s Uttar Pradesh State President Ajay Rai…”

The police are urging anyone who may have been affected or has information about the gang’s activities to come forward. As the case unfolds, it could have far-reaching implications—not just for law enforcement but for political accountability as well.

–IANS

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