Delhi Police books Irani Gang members under MCOCA, arrests Ali Chunna and Akbar Ali
Synopsis
Delhi Police invoked MCOCA — one of India's most stringent anti-organised-crime laws — against the Irani Gang, arresting two key members across Shaheen Bagh and Silvassa after a cross-state manhunt. The syndicate's alleged ringleader, Nasir Hafiz Khan, faces roughly 38 criminal cases spanning four states, underlining the scale of a network that police say financed itself through robbery proceeds.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police arrested Ali Chunna and Akbar Ali , two key members of the Irani Gang , on 10 August and 17 August respectively.
Both accused have been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) via FIR No.
202/2026 at DBG Road Police Station.
The case originates from a ₹18.84 lakh robbery on 23 October 2025 (FIR No.
Alleged gang head Nasir Hafiz Khan is linked to approximately 38 criminal cases across Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.
Akbar Ali , 35, was traced to Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli after evading arrest by frequently changing mobile numbers and locations.
A car, two mobile phones, and financial records have been recovered; further investigation is underway.
The Delhi Police's Central District on 21 August 2025 arrested two key members of the Irani Gang — an organised crime syndicate allegedly headed by Nasir Hafiz Khan, also known as Irani and Sameer — following sustained technical surveillance and inter-state coordination. Both accused have been booked under the stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), marking a significant escalation in the crackdown on the syndicate's multi-state operations.
Background and MCOCA Booking
The action stems from the investigation into FIR No. 389/2025, registered at DBG Road Police Station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, in connection with a robbery of ₹18.84 lakh on 23 October 2025. Investigators established that Nasir Hafiz Khan, a resident of Ambiwali, Mumbai, had been operating an organised crime syndicate involved in repeated instances of robbery, cheating, and other cognisable offences across Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana — with approximately 38 criminal cases linked to him across these states.
Following a comprehensive proposal prepared during the investigation, approval under Section 23(1)(a) of MCOCA was granted by the competent authority against Khan. FIR No. 202/2026 under Section 3 of MCOCA was subsequently registered at DBG Road Police Station.
Arrest of Ali Chunna in Shaheen Bagh
Ali Chunna, also known as Raja, had earlier been arrested in connection with the DBG Road robbery case but was later granted bail and found to be absconding. A dedicated team from DBG Road Police Station, led by SHO Inspector Randhir Singh under the supervision of ACP, Paharganj, Saurabh A. Narendra, was constituted to trace him.
The team — comprising Sub-Inspectors Neeraj Rathi and Harvinder, Head Constables Suneet, Naveen Ola, and Ashwani, and woman constable Tanish — deployed technical surveillance and human intelligence. On 10 August, Ali Chunna was traced to a residential premises in Shaheen Bagh, where location-based services pinpointed his presence at a third-floor residence. The 42-year-old accused was subsequently apprehended after sufficient grounds were established in the MCOCA case.
Akbar Ali Nabbed in Silvassa After Evading Law
Based on disclosures made by Ali Chunna, a second police team was formed to trace Akbar Ali, also known as Kabir, an alleged active member of the Irani Gang. The 35-year-old Akbar Ali, a resident of Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi, was found to be involved in 24 criminal cases and had been declared a proclaimed offender in multiple cases, including those registered at DBG Road, Dwarka South, and Model Town police stations.
Investigators found that Akbar Ali had been deliberately evading law by frequently changing mobile numbers and residential locations, and allegedly using fictitious identity details to obtain SIM cards. On 17 August, technical surveillance and secret information indicated he was moving towards Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. His location was traced near Hotel Plaza in Silvassa, and the intelligence was immediately shared with local police, leading to his arrest.
Recoveries and Financial Trail
During the operation, investigators recovered a car registered in the name of Ali Chunna from the possession of Nasir Hafiz Khan. According to police, maintenance expenses and loan instalments for the vehicle were paid using proceeds from the syndicate's criminal activities — a claim verified with the concerned financing bank.
Two mobile phones belonging to Ali Chunna and his wife were also seized and are suspected to contain details regarding gang members and their activities. The investigation has reportedly developed significant intelligence regarding the syndicate's network, financial support system, logistical operations, and alleged inter-state reach.
What Comes Next
Further investigation is underway, with authorities examining the syndicate's broader network and financial links. The MCOCA booking — typically reserved for organised crime with a demonstrated pattern of unlawful activity — signals that Delhi Police intends to pursue the gang's operations beyond individual arrest cases. This is the latest in a series of inter-state crackdowns on organised crime networks operating across the National Capital Region.
Point of View
And its application here signals that Delhi Police views the Irani Gang as a structured criminal enterprise, not a loose network of opportunistic offenders. With 38 cases tied to the alleged ringleader alone and arrests spanning Shaheen Bagh to Silvassa, the syndicate's geographic spread is striking. What the investigation must now establish is the financial architecture: if vehicle loan payments were genuinely funded through robbery proceeds, as police allege, that points to a money-laundering layer that MCOCA alone may not fully address. The real test will be whether the chargesheet holds up in court — MCOCA convictions require rigorous evidentiary standards, and bail-jumping by Ali Chunna once already is a reminder that procedural gaps can unravel even well-resourced investigations.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Ali Chunna and Akbar Ali, and why were they arrested?
Ali Chunna (also known as Raja) and Akbar Ali (also known as Kabir) are alleged key members of the Irani Gang, an organised crime syndicate led by Nasir Hafiz Khan. They were arrested by Delhi Police's Central District for their roles in robbery, cheating, and other offences across multiple states, and have been booked under MCOCA.
What is MCOCA and why is it significant in this case?
The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) is one of India's most stringent anti-organised-crime laws, allowing for tougher bail conditions and heavier penalties for members of criminal syndicates. Its invocation against the Irani Gang signals that investigators have established a documented pattern of organised criminal activity, not isolated offences.
What was the original crime that triggered this investigation?
The investigation began with FIR No. 389/2025, registered at DBG Road Police Station in connection with a robbery of ₹18.84 lakh on 23 October 2025. The probe subsequently revealed the broader organised crime network linked to Nasir Hafiz Khan.
How many criminal cases is the Irani Gang's alleged ringleader linked to?
Nasir Hafiz Khan, the alleged head of the Irani Gang, is linked to approximately 38 criminal cases across Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Co-accused Akbar Ali is separately linked to 24 criminal cases and had been declared a proclaimed offender in multiple instances.
Where were the two accused arrested, and how were they traced?
Ali Chunna was arrested on 10 August from a residential premises in Shaheen Bagh, New Delhi, after location-based services and human intelligence pinpointed his presence there. Akbar Ali was traced on 17 August to near Hotel Plaza in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, through mobile surveillance and secret information shared with local police.
