Wrestler‑turned‑gangster Harsimran deported from Bangkok, arrested at Delhi airport after fleeing on a fake passport
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The game is over for notorious gangster Harsimran alias Badal (38), who fled the country using a fake passport and attempted to expand his criminal empire internationally. In a major breakthrough, Delhi Police arrested him at IGI Airport after he was deported from Bangkok. Harsimran, a former wrestler, is said to be close to gangster Goldy Dhillon, who lives in Europe.
Police officials said Saturday that the arrest was the result of a joint operation between Indian agencies and Thai authorities. He was extradited from Bangkok to Delhi on November 26, where police took him into custody.
The investigation revealed that Harsimran, a resident of Shalimar Bagh, had obtained a fake passport in the name of "Rajesh Singh" (resident of Gorakhpur) to evade the law. In January of this year, he fled to Bangkok with the help of Goldy Dhillon. From there, he traveled to Dubai and, with the help of human traffickers, was trying to settle in the US or Europe.
He attempted to enter Europe via Azerbaijan and then via the Belarus-Latvia-Poland route, but his attempts failed. These countries detained him and deported him. When he returned to Bangkok to renew his visa, Thai authorities, acting on input from Indian intelligence agencies, apprehended him. The Ministry of External Affairs cancelled his fake passport, facilitating his extradition to India.
According to police records, Harsimran is a declared 'bad character' by the Shalimar Bagh police station. He has 23 serious cases registered against him, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, and under the Arms Act. He has been convicted in two cases. After being released on bail, he stopped attending court hearings and was absent from court appearances in at least 14 cases.
Surprisingly, even after fleeing the country, his terror continued unabated. From abroad, he threatened a key witness in a case over the phone and demanded a ransom of ₹50 lakh to change his statement. A new FIR was filed against him at the Mukherjee Nagar police station.
Harsimran started his career as a wrestler in Delhi and Maharashtra, but after coming into contact with gangsters from Burari, Sagarpur, and North-West Delhi, he was drawn into the world of crime. He later became a part of the Dhillon gang. After the arrest of Mahendra Singh, an accused in a 2010 murder case, the police got important clues about Harsimran, following which a lookout circular was issued against him.