GURUGRAM: Kaushal, one of NCR’s most-wanted gangsters arrested by Haryana Police’s special task force last year, is eyeing a shift to a Delhi jail with a view to revive and expand his extortion racket, sources in the police department have told TOI. The gangster, who is currently lodged in Hisar jail, is hopeful that the move, if successful, will also allow him to escape the scrutiny of Haryana Police, the sources added.
The notorious gangster, who had more than 200 cases registered against him and carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was arrested at IGI Airport in August 2019 after being deported from Dubai. Most of his gang members, including his brother, wife and father, were arrested later too, which dealt a major blow to his extortion racket.
After Kaushal revealed to police that during his stay in Dubai, he had stayed in touch with his aide Amit Dagar, lodged in Bhondsi jail, over the phone, law enforcement agencies in the state kept a strict watch on his activities. They not only ensured that he didn’t get access to a mobile phone inside the prison, but also kept him away from the rest of his gang. While most of his aides were lodged in Gurugram’s Bhondsi jail, Kaushal was kept in Hisar jail.
“All major cases against Kaushal are registered in Gurugram and Faridabad and he was active in this region. However, he was not kept in Bhondsi jail,” said ACP (crime) Preet Pal Sangwan.
To get away with this scrutiny, sources told TOI, Kaushal is trying to draw the attention of Delhi Police. While he is not a wanted criminal in Delhi and has no case registered against him there, his plan is to be taken into Delhi Police’s custody and getting shifted to a jail in the national capital, they added. The sources cited two firing incidents in Delhi executed by Kaushal — one at a sweet shop and another at a car dealer. In both the cases, a note, which said “I am Kaushal, pay the money or be ready to face the consequences”, was left behind by his subordinates.
“The note also made extortion demands. In the past, Kaushal had made extortion demands over the phone. This time, he wants to claim ownership of the incident,” said Sangwan.
A police officer, not wishing to be named, said the gangster, by shifting to a Delhi jail, hopes to network with the criminals lodged there and recruit people to expand his operations.
“Moreover, if Delhi Police take Kaushal on protection remand, which he wants, he will not be under constant scrutiny as he is in Haryana. Delhi has its own wanted criminals and police might not monitor Kaushal continuously,” said the officer.
Till his plan comes to fruition, Kaushal is trying his keep his flock together and keep his associates engaged, said police. In the past one week, his gang members have executed multiple cases of vehicle snatching. Two of them, Rohit (23) and Satender Pathak (30), were arrested during an encounter. While Satender, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, used to shelter criminals in his home state, Rohit was a prime accused in the murder case of Congress functionary Vikas Chaudhary in Faridabad. He died later during treatment at the hospital. On Wednesday, another gang member, Praveen Kumar alias Panna (24), was arrested. The accused, during their interrogation, revealed that they were getting directions from the jailed gangster. “Kaushal used to convey the messages through other criminals lodged in the jail,” said a senior police officer.