For nearly two decades, the name of Abid Ali alias Raju alias "Rahman Dakait" - the alleged mastermind of a multi-state crime syndicate operating from Bhopal's infamous Irani Dera - was whispered in police files and feared across state borders.
On Friday, his long run came to an end when the Surat Crime Branch quietly arrested him in a covert operation in the Lalgate area without firing a single bullet.
The arrest followed intelligence inputs that the gangster had fled Bhopal after a high-risk police raid on his hideout in Aman Colony and was taking shelter in Surat, allegedly preparing to execute another major crime. Acting on this tip-off, the Crime Branch laid a trap and apprehended him.
According to police, Raju Irani ran a network of gangs active in at least 14 states, committing crimes ranging from robbery and fraud to extortion, impersonation, arson, and attempted murder. He is also charged under the stringent MCOCA in Maharashtra. Often disguising himself as a fake CBI officer, a police official in safari suits, or even as a sadhu to exploit religious faith. This ability to commit crimes in disguise is considered the most dangerous trait of the gang. By posing as officials or holy men, the group targeted elderly people and ordinary citizens, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
The gang's modus operandi, police say, is strikingly similar to the plot of the film Special 26. Members would impersonate sales tax officers, customs officials, CBI or police personnel to conduct fake raids and fraud operations. Each crime was meticulously planned in advance, routes and escape methods were pre-decided, and even when arrested, gang members refused to reveal the names of accomplices or the structure of the network.
On Sunday, Nishatpura police brought Raju Irani to Bhopal on a production warrant. He was produced before the district court and sent to police remand until January 17. During his court appearance, Raju maintained that he was innocent.
His lawyer, Nazar Raja, challenged the police demand for a seven-day remand. "There is no basis for such remand. The case cited by the police is already settled. The woman involved is a family member, another accused has already got bail, and even a one-day remand would not normally be granted. They are only seeking his phone. We will apply for bail," he said.
Police, however, insist that Raju is a habitual and highly manipulative offender. "He keeps changing his version, denying leadership and downplaying his role. He is wanted in cases of attempted murder, arson, fraud and robbery across multiple states," a senior officer said.
Investigations reveal that the Irani settlement in Aman Colony, Bhopal, houses not one but more than six criminal gangs, each specialising in different crimes.
One gang sells fake gold and cheats buyers outside the city. Another impersonates officials and conducts fake raids. A third operates theft and burglary rackets in other states. A fourth steals high-end mobile phones and resells them. Two others focus on land scams.
All of them allegedly report to one person - Raju Irani.
Police raids recovered dozens of mobile phones, laptops, CPUs and pen drives, now under forensic examination. Investigators believe these were used to unlock stolen phones and erase digital trails.
The gang is also linked to organised property manipulation. Kala Irani, a close associate, is under scrutiny for selling disputed plots in Nishatpura's Janata Nagar colony and accumulating property worth crores.
Perhaps the most shocking revelation is how easily arrested members escaped jail. During a dramatic raid on December 28 at 4 am, police detained 22 men and 10 women amid stone-pelting and physical attacks.
Yet within 48 hours, 14 accused were out on bail secured using fake guarantors, including one who had died two years earlier. Someone else impersonated the dead guarantor in court, submitted forged documents and secured bail.
The Irani gang traces its roots to the 1970s, when Raju's father, Hasmat Irani, led the group. Raju took over in 2006. Leadership in the Dera is reportedly decided by a tribal council based on criminal credentials. The more serious the record, the stronger the claim.
Nearly every one of the 70 families in the Irani Dera has someone with a criminal history. Members travel across India - Delhi, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh - for months-long "journeys" to commit crimes, while designated couriers transport stolen goods back safely.
If someone is arrested, the Dera head ensures bail and supports the family. It is a system structured, disciplined, and ruthless. And for years, untouchable. Until now.
With Raju Irani in custody, police believe they have finally caught the man who sat at the centre of this criminal spider web. Whether the law will now hold him or whether he will once again vanish into loopholes, bail orders and fake documents remains to be seen.
But for the first time in years, the "Rahman Dakait" is no longer a shadow. He is behind bars.
