'Dhurandhar'-Inspired Gangster Nabbed After 20 Years, Was Hiding As 'Rahman Dakait' In Surat

A notorious crime kingpin from Bhopal, who had been on the run for years, was arrested by the Surat Crime Branch in Gujarat on Friday. Police said the accused was living in Surat under the alias 'Rehman Dakait' -- a name inspired by Pakistani gangster Rehman Baloch, who operated in Karachi's Lyari in the 2000s and was recently portrayed on screen by actor Akshaye Khanna in the Bollywood movie 'Dhurandhar'. The accused has been identified as Abid Ali, alias Raju Irani, alias Rehman Dakait. He was arrested in the Lalgate area of Surat in a secret operation, which was carried out without a single shot being fired, police said.According to police, Abid Ali was wanted in more than seven states, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra,

Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Last month, he had managed to escape during a police raid at Irani Dera in Bhopal, allegedly using stone-pelting as cover, reported Dainik Jagran.Following his escape, police said he travelled to Surat and went into hiding at the house of his brother-in-law.

Adopted 'Rahman Dakait' alias to instill fear

Abid Ali is said to be the mastermind of the notorious ‘Irani Dera’ gang, which operated out of Bhopal and was involved in serious crimes including robbery, fraud, and arson. Police said he has been booked under stringent laws such as the MCOCA in multiple cases.Active in organised crime for nearly two decades, he often posed as a police officer or a central agency official to threaten traders before committing crimes. His gang members would scare traders with fake police checks or robberies or divert attention in crowded places by setting off chemicals, according to the Dainik Jagran report.Also Read: The Real Rehman Baloch: What His Rise and Fall Reveals About PakistanIn some cases, they disguised themselves as astrologers or holy men, entered homes on the pretext of performing rituals, and stole gold, the report mentioned. The group also carried out robberies on highways and deserted roads by setting up fake police barricades, police said.Surat Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Rojia said the accused deliberately adopted the name 'Rehman Dakait' to instill fear among locals. Police added that the alias was inspired by the gangster played by Akshaye Khanna in Dhurandhar, which the accused believed would help him build clout while in hiding.Investigators said changing identities and using forged documents after each arrest was a key tactic that helped him evade police for years. Authorities are now verifying his past aliases and the cases registered under different names to determine the full extent of his interstate fraud network.According to police, the accused was first arrested by the Bhopal Crime Branch in 2020 while allegedly planning a robbery. After being released from jail, he went underground, continuing to run his criminal network and directing gang members to carry out fraud and loot. Police teams from multiple states tracked his movements and traced him to Bhopal several times, but he repeatedly evaded arrest before finally being caught in Surat.