Wanted Indian gangster caught at Dubai airport

NEW DELHI: Vilas Lagarpuria, a criminal wanted in connection with a thet case of Rs30 crore in Gurugram, has finally been nabbed by the Interpol from Dubai.

According to sources, formalities are being completed to bring him back to India by the concerned agencies.

Lagarpuria fled to Dubai using a fake passport, which he got arranged through his aide in Gurugram. With the help of this passport, Lagarpuria had travelled to many countries.

According to information received here, the Special Cell of Delhi Police had issued a lookout circular (LOC) against Lagarpuria. A team of the Special Cell is in touch with the Interpol, and is planning to go to Dubai.

“On the basis of the LOC, Lagarpuria was nabbed from the Dubai airport. He is the mastermind behind the Rs30 crore thet in Gurugram. He was booked under MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act). A court had also declared him a proclaimed offender,” said a source. The thet took place in Gurugram’s Kherki Daula area on August 5, 2021. Vilas Gulia of the Delhi Police, who was posted with the Special Cell, was found involved in the mater. He was held and during the course of investigation it was learnt that Lagarpuria was the mastermind behind the heist.

“Lagarpuria and Gulia are from the same village and are close friends. The police have so far arrested 16 persons in this connection. The thet took place at a private firm which had initially said that only Rs50 lakh were stolen. Later, it was found that it was a heist of Rs30 crore,” the source said.

Last year, the Dubai Police arrested one of Italy’s most wanted criminals, Raffaele Imperiale, an alleged kingpin of the organised crime syndicate ‘Camorra’, which is involved in drug and weapons trafficking crimes across international borders.

The Force also arrested Imperial’s right-hand man Raffaele Mauriello. Both Imperiale and Mauriello were wanted by Italian authorities and Interpol.