Gangster deported from Thailand, held for murders: Police

Police said Harsimran was first booked last year in an Arms Act case after his associate Mahender Singh was arrested in a 2010 murder case. During interrogation, Mahender disclosed that the weapons recovered from him had been supplied by Harsimran.

A Delhi-based gangster allegedly involved in more than 20 cases of murder, attempted murder and extortion was arrested by the Special Cell on Wednesday after he was deported from Thailand, police said on Saturday.

According to police, Harsimran was apprehended at Delhi airport on November 26 after his deportation. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Amit Kaushik said that Harsimran alias Badal alias Simran, 38, had been on the run since January after leaving India on a passport obtained under a fictitious identity.

According to police, Harsimran was apprehended at Delhi airport on November 26 after his deportation.

Police said Harsimran was first booked last year in an Arms Act case after his associate Mahender Singh was arrested in a 2010 murder case. During interrogation, Mahender disclosed that the weapons recovered from him had been supplied by Harsimran.

“During probe, it emerged that Harsimran had secured a passport in the name of Rajesh Singh, a resident of Gorakhpur, using forged documents. He allegedly flew to Bangkok from Lucknow in January 2025 using this passport,” Kaushik said.

Later, in February, he was accused of threatening witnesses in cases pending against him and demanding ₹50 lakh as protection money, leading to another FIR in Mukherjee Nagar.

Police added that Harsimran had been evading court hearings in several of the 23 cases registered against him over the past two decades. Once the fake passport was identified, the Ministry of External Affairs revoked the document and a look out circular was issued. Central agencies later tracked his movements between Thailand, Dubai, and Azerbaijan, where he allegedly attempted to travel onward to the United States through human traffickers, police said.

According to investigators, Harsimran had been attempting to establish himself as an international gangster in coordination with alleged criminal Goldy Dhillon, who is suspected to be operating from Europe. Officers said that Dhillon had arranged the forged identity and facilitated Harsimran’s illegal travel routes through Dubai and eastern Europe.

Harsimran returned to Bangkok earlier this month to extend his business visa. He was detained there by local authorities after Delhi Police shared a dossier on him.

Police said he has been arrested in a 2024 Arms Act case and further investigation is underway.