Dawood Ibrahim, Lawrence Bishnoi, Chhota Rajan: India's 10 most feared gangsters and where they are now
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Dawood Ibrahim
Known for his mastery of international criminal operations and evasion, Dawood Ibrahim is the founder of D-Company and was involved in the 1993 Mumbai bombings. He also controls drug trafficking and extortion networks. Currently alive and reportedly in Pakistan.
Chhota Rajan
The "Hindu don," Chhota Rajan positioned himself as a nationalist gangster. His criminal activities include extortion, drug trafficking, and multiple murders. He is currently alive, serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail, Delhi.
Lawrence Bishnoi
Bishnoi operates a vast criminal network from jail, involved in extortion and contract killings, including the murders of Sidhu Moosewala and NCP leader Baba Siddique. Despite being imprisoned in Sabarmati Central Jail, his influence extends globally.
Arun Gawli
Once a feared gangster, Arun Gawli transitioned into politics and earned the title "Daddy." He was involved in extortion, organized crime, and murder. Gawli is currently serving a life sentence in prison.
Haji Mastan
Often called Bombay's "Robin Hood" for his charity work, Haji Mastan amassed wealth through smuggling, bootlegging, and film financing. He inspired several Bollywood characters and died in 1994.
Varadarajan Mudaliar
Mudaliar controlled Tamil communities through extortion, smuggling, and illegal gambling. He operated a parallel justice system in these areas. He died in prison in 1988.
Karim Lala
Rising from a simple worker, Afghan Pathan Karim Lala dominated Mumbai's underworld with extortion, gambling, and contract killings. He was one of the early underworld figures, dying in 2002.
Veerappan
The notorious forest bandit evaded capture for years while poaching, smuggling sandalwood, and committing multiple murders. Veerappan was killed in a police encounter in 2004 after decades of eluding authorities.
Abu Salem
Notorious for his Bollywood ties, Abu Salem was involved in extortion, smuggling, and played a key role in the 1993 Mumbai bombings. He is currently serving multiple life sentences in Taloja Jail.
Atiq Ahmed
A mafia don-turned-politician, Atiq Ahmed was involved in murder, kidnapping, and extortion. He was killed in April 2023 while in police custody, marking the end of a violent criminal career that spilled into politics.