New Delhi: The assassination of 30-year-old gangster Jitendra Mann alias Gogi inside a crowded Delhi courtroom on Friday has shaken the legal fraternity, with lawyers' bodies refraining from work on Saturday and Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana expressing deep concern over the security situation.

But who was Gogi? According to the police, he was one of Delhi's most wanted criminals and the boss of an "extremely sophisticated" organised crime syndicate. He is mamed in more than a dozen criminal cases and had been arrested by the Delhi Police's counter intelligence unit in March last year.

He was shot dead by two men, who were dressed as lawyers, in courtroom number 207 of the Rohini court complex. His assailants were killed in retaliatory police firing.

According to news agency PTI, Gogi was a resident of Delhi's Alipur area. He was arrested last year along with his associates Kuldeep Mann alias 'Fajja' (28) and Rohit alias 'Moi' (27) from Gurgaon after a four-year-long chase by the Delhi Police. He had been captured earlier too but had escaped from custody in 2016.

According to police, Gogi ran an "extremely sophisticated organised crime" syndicate. He and his associates Fajja and Moi used to be active in Rohini, North West Delhi, Outer Delhi and Outer-North Delhi, they said.

Gogi's gang members face charges of extortion, collecting ransom and protection money, and car-jackings, police said.

To contain the activities of Gogi, Fajja and Moi, the police had registered cases under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). They were being tracked not only by the Delhi police but also by the Haryana Police.

Gogi's main rival was Sunil alias 'Tillu', and the two have committed "sensational" crimes, police said.

Their gangs have clashed on various occasions for dominance, resulting in gang violence that left many dead.

The Gogi and Tillu gangs have been running extortion rackets in the Alipur area and in Sonipat for years, police said.

Police said their rivalry dates back to their days at Shradhanand College of the Delhi University as they were into student politics.

The rivalry grew stringer in 2012, when Gogi and his associates shot at a close confidant of Tillu who was identified as Vikas.

In 2015, Tillu was arrested by the Sonipat police while Gogi was still looking for opportunities to eliminate Tillu and his gang members.

Gogi was also caught but escaped from custody in 2016 when he was being taken to a Haryana court for a hearing, police said.

Citing past incidents, police said on June 18, 2018, in Sant Nagar in Burari, Gogi's gang clashed with members of the Tillu gang and four people died.

On October 17, 2017, in Panipat, Gogi and three of his associates, including Fajja, shot dead Haryanvi singer Harshita Dahiya at the behest of Dinesh Karala, her brother-in-law.

"Gogi did not take any money from Harshita's brother-in-law, Dinesh Karala, to kill her. This is because the two had worked out an understanding that Karala would help Gogi kill his rivals once he got out of jail where he was lodged for killing his own mother," a senior police officer told PTI.

On February 19, last year Gogi and his associates had shot dead Pawan Anchil Thakur who they suspected was supporting their rivals. They fired 48 rounds, 26 of which hit Thakur, police said.

CJI expresses concern

CJI Ramana on Friday expressed deep concern over the shootout inside the Rohini courtroom and spoke to the Delhi high court chief justice in this regard. The CJI advised Chief Justice D.N. Patel to talk to both the police and the Bar to ensure that the functioning of the court is not affected.

The issue of safety and security of court complexes and judicial personnel is already under the consideration of the Supreme Court and the matter may get priority hearing next week, according to a top court official said.

(With PTI inputs)

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