Delhi Police to slap MCOCA on two top gangsters, more to follow

NEW DELHI: In a major crackdown against the underworld in north India, Delhi Police commissioner Rakesh Asthana is learnt to have given a nod for arresting two top gangsters, Virender Pratap alias Kala Rana and Kala Jathedi, under the stringent MCOCA. While Rana was deported from Thailand in March, Jathedi was arrested from Uttarakhand-UP border last year.
Asthana said Special Cell had been given clear instructions to nip any attempt to establish organised crime syndicates in the bud. The move would make a major dent in the financial infrastructure of these syndicates and also pave the way for crackdown in different states. Over a dozen members of this alliance have been named in the MCOCA FIR and would be arrested, sources said.
Over the last few years, the Rana-Jathedi syndicate had forged an alliance of top gangs in north Indian states and was operating in collaboration with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. This had become a huge headache for cops of Delhi, Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand and Punjab. The alliance had enabled sharing of shooters, weapons, hideouts and financial infrastructure among the gangs.
A proposal regarding invoking MCOCA against the duo was prepared by special commissioner HGS Dhaliwal’s team. The proposal included properties illegally amassed by the syndicate. Rana was arrested by DCP Pramod Kushwaha’s team on Thursday. An FIR was registered against Jathedi last year, but he was yet to be arrested.
Rana was the “chief financial officer” of the alliance. He is an accused in around 50 FIRs of murder, extortion, threats, etc. He was located in Pattaya City after tracking an internet dongle connected to a mobile phone that was used to make an extortion call. He had jumped bail in early 2019 and flown to Thailand on a fake passport. He started working for the Bishnoi gang and became an important part of the group comprising Goldy Brar, Raju Basodi and others.