Police: Jatheri was diversifying gang’s operations

He carried a reward of ₹7 lakh on his arrest, and was wanted in nearly 40 cases of dacoity, robbery, extortion and attempt to murder.

Says after arresting gangster Sandeep alias Kala Jatheri, the Delhi Police team interrogating the crime lord has learned that his gang, which was mostly involved in contract killings and extortions, was allegedly diversifying their illegal activities by teaming up with or taking over authorised and unauthorised liquor dealers and those involved in illegal mining in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab to set up a bigger syndicate, which at present has nearly 200 members in north India and abroad.

Delhi Police special cell arrested most wanted gangster Kala Jatheri with Lady Don Anuradha Chaudhary from Shahranpur (UP) produced at NFC Cell office in New Delhi (PTI Photo)

Jatheri’s female associate, Anuradha Chaudhary, who was arrested along with him from Saharanpur on July 30, was the alleged brains behind the gang’s diversification and was managing everything related to income, expenditures and investments, said Delhi Police special cell sleuths interrogating the two.

Jatheri, who topped the list of the most wanted criminals of north India, was arrested on July 30 along with his female associate, Anuradha Chaudhary aka “Revolver Rani”, by the counter intelligence team of the special cell at a dhaba near Sarsawa toll plaza on the Saharanpur-Yamuna Nagar highway.

He carried a reward of ₹7 lakh on his arrest, and was wanted in nearly 40 cases of dacoity, robbery, extortion and attempt to murder. A total of 15 of these cases were registered in Delhi, and the rest in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The two are currently in police custody and are being interrogated to establish the crimes they or their gang members have committed since February 2020, when Jatheri escaped from the Haryana Police’s custody in Faridabad, after seven of his associates stormed the prison van carrying the gangster to Bhondsi Jail from the Faridabad court.

The police said they were aware that Jatheri’s syndicate were primarily involved in contract killings and extorting money from businessmen after firing “warning shots” at business establishments or homes, followed by extortion calls or leaving threats on paper slips.

Though some of his associates arrested in the recent past had hinted that the gang members had also joined hands with people involved in liquor trade, illegal mining and betting to establish more sources of money, police did not have a full picture till now.

“Interrogation of Jatheri and his female partner has revealed that they were working on ways to control these businesses in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab either through intimidation or by securing consent of the key players of the businesses... The two disclosed the names of their gang members and their business partners, who may be asked to join the investigation,” said another special cell officer, requesting not to be named.

Police said the income that the group has been earning through extortion and other illegal activities is also transferred to Kala Rana, Goldy Brar and Monty -- who are based in Bangkok, Canada and Dubai, respectively -- to invest in their narcotic drugs business. “Jatheri is not directly involved in drug dealing but the money sent is remuneration for their assistance to his gang from abroad,” added the second officer.