Surat police nab Rehman Dakait, mastermind of Irani Dera gang in Bhopal

Surat | Gujarat — In a major breakthrough after two decades of pursuit, the Surat Crime Branch has arrested Abid Ali alias Raju alias Rehman Dakait, the elusive mastermind of the notorious ‘Irani Dera’ gang, in a covert operation from the Lalgate area of the city. The arrest has brought to an end a 20-year-long cat-and-mouse chase between law enforcement agencies and one of India’s most feared inter-state criminals, whose network spread across 14 states.

Known for mocking police forces across the country by repeatedly slipping through their nets, Rehman Dakait operated a highly organised criminal empire from Bhopal’s infamous ‘Irani Dera’. His gang is accused of a wide range of crimes including impersonating CBI officers, robbing victims while disguised as sadhus and bawas, brutal attacks on informers, and offences booked under stringent laws such as the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

DCP Bhavesh Rozia of the Surat Crime Branch said the arrest was carried out based on precise intelligence inputs. “We received specific information that Abid Ali alias Raju Irani had arrived in Surat. Acting swiftly and discreetly, our team arrested him without firing a single shot,” Rozia said. “This arrest has broken the backbone of a dangerous inter-state gang that had remained active for years.”

Police officials revealed that Rehman Dakait lived an extravagant lifestyle funded by criminal proceeds. “He and his brother Zakir Ali led a lavish life, owning luxury cars, high-end sports bikes and even Arabian horses,” a senior Crime Branch officer said. “Despite being constantly on the run, he managed his network with remarkable coordination.”

According to investigators, the gang operated through six smaller units, each comprising three to four members who executed crimes, while another group handled the distribution of loot. “This ensured that even if one unit was caught, the stolen property never reached the police,” an officer explained. The gang also allegedly used women and children as human shields during police raids to evade arrest.

Rehman Dakait’s criminal footprint spans states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. He is wanted in Gurugram for robbery, in Bahraich for cheating and dacoity, and by the Delhi Crime Branch for multiple cases registered since 2022. His activities in Maharashtra were so extensive that a case under MCOCA was registered against him at Kapurbawdi police station in Thane.

In December last year, nearly 150 police personnel from Bhopal had conducted a massive combing operation at ‘Irani Dera’, but Rehman Dakait escaped by using women as cover. Several motorcycles were seized during that operation.

The name ‘Rehman Dakait’, police said, stems from his old links with Iranian robbers and his reputation for violent reprisals. “Anyone suspected of informing the police was threatened with severe consequences,” an officer said, recalling an incident where an informer’s house was allegedly set on fire.

Crime Branch officials believe the arrest will help crack several unsolved cases across the country. “With his custody, many long-buried secrets are beginning to surface,” DCP Rozia said. “This is a significant victory against organised crime.”