Authorities have dismantled a significant carjacking syndicate allegedly led by a gangster responsible for over 100 vehicle thefts in the Delhi-NCR region between 2015 and 2018, according to officials. Five active gang members, including a suspect named Pandey, have been arrested and charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Two additional associates, Dare Mada Yangda and Yusuf Ali, have been declared proclaimed offenders, with a request for their trial in absentia submitted to the appropriate court. Police reports indicate that Pandey has been operating an organized crime network for more than a decade, focusing on luxury cars which were subsequently sold in Arunachal Pradesh and other northeastern states.
The gang is also implicated in numerous serious offenses such as murder, kidnapping for ransom, and robbery. During the investigation, authorities identified a property in Lucknow registered under Pandey’s father’s name. Further inquiries revealed that the Rs 80 lakh used for the property and its construction was funded by Pandey through his illicit activities. Records show that Pandey has over 45 criminal cases against him, including robbery and murder, as well as violations of the Arms and NDPS Acts. The arrested individuals also include Kapil Chitania, Vijay Farmana, Sumit Vakil, and Chander Shekhar Gupta, all of whom face charges under the stringent provisions of MCOCA.
Yangda and Ali are believed to have played critical roles in receiving and disposing of the stolen vehicles in the northeast. The special MCOCA court at Patiala House has already framed charges against the detained suspects as of July 18 this year.
