New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) The Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Friday arrested gangster Shabir Ali alias Shabir Chaudhary, who led an organised crime syndicate operating across North-East Delhi and the Trans-Yamuna region. Police said the accused had been absconding since April 2025 in a case registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

According to a statement issued by the Special Cell on Friday, Shabir Ali was wanted in a 2025 MCOCA case being investigated by the Special Cell. Nine members of his organised crime syndicate have already been arrested in connection with the same case.

The arrest was made by a team of the Special Cell’s NDR unit led by Inspectors Alok Kumar Maurya and Nitu Kumar under the supervision of ACP Ashish Kumar.

Police said that, acting on intelligence gathered through credible human sources and technical surveillance, the team apprehended Shabir Ali from the Shambhu Border in Haryana on June 14 and subsequently brought him to Delhi for further legal proceedings.

During the operation, police recovered one XUV and a scooty from the accused.

According to the Special Cell, Shabir Ali alias Shabir Chaudhary heads the Shabir Chaudhary-Hashim Baba-Anwar Chacha organised crime syndicate. The gang is allegedly active in the Trans-Yamuna and North-East Delhi regions, including Seelampur, Bhajanpura, Maujpur, Shahdara and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Police alleged that members of the syndicate have been involved in several cases of extortion, murder, attempt to murder, land grabbing and other serious offences. Investigators also claimed that some members of the gang have been operating from abroad, particularly from Nepal and Dubai.

The Special Cell said it has taken a series of actions against the syndicate in recent months. In one such case, registered as FIR No. 08/2026 under the Arms Act at the Special Cell Police Station, alleged sharpshooter, Sohail alias Alam alias Tohid, was arrested on the intervening night of January 10 and 11. Police recovered one pistol and three live cartridges from his possession.

In another operation linked to FIR No. 303/2025 under the Arms Act, police arrested two alleged gang associates — Jasim alias Aalu and Jahangir alias Ikka — on December 11, 2025. Four pistols and 14 live cartridges were allegedly recovered during that operation.

Police said Shabir Ali is a native of Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh and allegedly entered the criminal world in the mid-1990s through his association with Haji Afzaal of Seelampur. He allegedly became involved in several incidents of firing, murder and gang rivalry across North-East Delhi and the National Capital Region.

According to the police, following the murder of his brother Shamim Ahmed in 2008, Shabir intensified his criminal activities. During his incarceration in previous cases, he allegedly came into contact with several hardened criminals, including Hashim Baba and Anwar Khan alias Chacha, strengthening the organised crime network.

Police said Shabir Ali has previously been arrested in several criminal cases, including one under the MCOCA, and has been involved in 14 criminal cases relating to murder, attempt to murder, extortion and other serious offences. He is also wanted in FIR No. 629/2024, which is being investigated by the Special Cell and is facing a non-bailable warrant issued by a Delhi court in connection with an Arms Act case registered at Bhajanpura Police Station in 2022.

According to the Special Cell, key members of the organised crime syndicate, including Hashim Baba, Anwar Khan alias Chacha, Zoya Khan, Sameer alias Baba, Salim Ahmed alias Salim Pistol, Harsh Pal Singh alias Rubal and Illiyas, are currently lodged in jail under the MCOCA case.

–IANS

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