Abdul Nasir (right) with Ramdas AthawaleA 33-year-old man from North East Delhi, who was booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) by Delhi Police’s Crime Branch last week for allegedly running an organised crime syndicate in Eastern Range, has joined MoS Ramdas Athawale’s Republican Party of India (A) as its Delhi youth president.
Abdul Nasir, who police say is absconding, joined the party on July 18 in the presence of Athawale, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. When contacted, Athawale acknowledged Nasir had joined the party but added: “We are not aware about his criminal background… Now we will check.”
According to police, Nasir faces several criminal cases and is allegedly involved in a gang war with Chhenu Pehalwan (34) for supremacy over the betting business in the capital since 2010. The gang war, police say, has claimed 17 lives, including that of a Delhi Police constable who was shot dead at Karkardooma court in 2015.
Both Pehalwan and Nasir were arrested and lodged in Tihar Jail, but the latter later came out on parole in April this year.
On July 9, MCOCA was slapped against Nasir by the special investigation unit (SIU) of the crime branch for allegedly running an organised gang and extorting money by threatening people. “Multiple teams of the Delhi Police are conducting raids to arrest him,” said DCP (North East) Atul Kumar Thakur.
A senior officer said that Nasir is facing two murder cases, as well as cases of robbery and extortion at various police stations in North East Delhi. “He dropped out of school in seventh standard and started sewing jeans for a living. He has nine siblings,” the officer said. “In 2007, Nasir allegedly began operating a TV cable network and a gambling business in North East Delhi.”
Nasir and his gang members were booked under MCOCA on directives of Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik. ACP (crime branch) Sandeep Lamba is investigating the case.
