Rohini court shootout: Jitendra Gogi was one of Delhi's most wanted, faced over dozen cases

NEW DELHI: Thirty-year-old Jitendra Mann 'Gogi', who was shot dead in a crowded Rohini courtroom on Friday, was one of Delhi's most wanted criminals and the chief of an "extremely sophisticated" organised crime syndicate.

Named in over a dozen criminal cases, Gogi was arrested by the Delhi Police's counter intelligence unit in March last year.

He was shot dead by two men, who were dressed as lawyers, in courtroom number 207 of the Rohini court complex.

His assailants were killed in retaliatory police firing.

Gogi, who was a resident of Delhi's Alipur area, was arrested last year along with his associates Kuldeep Mann alias 'Fajja' (28) and Rohit alias 'Moi' (27) from Gurgaon after a four-year-long chase by the Delhi Police.

He had escaped from custody in 2016.

According to police, Gogi ran an "extremely sophisticated organised crime" syndicate.

He and his associates Fajja and Moi used to be active in Rohini, North West Delhi, Outer Delhi and Outer-North Delhi, they said.

Gogi's gang members face charges of extortion, collecting ransom and protection money, and car-jackings, police said.

To contain the activities of Gogi, Fajja and Moi, the police had registered cases under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

They were being tracked not only by the Delhi police but also by the Hrayana Police.

Gogi's main rival was Sunil alias 'Tillu', and the two have committed "sensational" crimes, police said.

Their gangs have clashed on various occasions for dominance, and because of this many murders have taken place, they said.

The Gogi and Tillu gangs have been running extortion rackets in the Alipur area and in Sonipat for years, police said.

Police said their rivalry dates back to their days at Shradhanand College of the Delhi University as they were into student politics.

Their rivalry grew when in 2012 Gogi and his associates shot at a close confidant of Tillu who was identified as Vikas, police said.

In 2015, Tillu was arrested by the Sonipat police while Gogi was still looking for opportunities to eliminate Tillu and his gang members.

Though he was caught, Gogi escaped from custody in 2016 when he was being taken to a Haryana court for a hearing, police said.

Citing past incidents, police said on June 18, 2018, in Sant Nagar in Burari, Gogi's gang clashed with members the Tillu gang and four people died.

On October 17, 2017, in Panipat, Gogi and three of his associates, including Fajja, shot dead Haryanvi singer Harshita Dahiya at the behest of Dinesh Karala, her brother-in-law.

"Gogi did not take any money from Harshita's brother-in-law, Dinesh Karala, to kill her. This is because the two had worked out an understanding that Karala would help Gogi kill his rivals once he got out of jail where he was lodged for killing his own mother," said a senior police officer.

On February 19, last year Gogi and his associates had shot dead Pawan Anchil Thakur who they suspected was supporting their rivals.

They fired 48 rounds, 26 of which hit Thakur, police said.