‘Illegal’ gang leader arrested from wedding venue in Bhopal:Bride reaches police station, pleading, ‘Sir, let us marry in custody’

Sir, my life will be ruined. What is my fault? I was unaware of his crime. Guests are present at home, and all rituals, from haldi to others, have been completed. A bride reached the Kohefiza police station in Bhopal on Thursday and pleaded with the police to release her groom for two hours so the wedding rituals could be completed, or to allow the marriage to take place in custody. However, police did not accept her request. Her lawyer also sought time in court for the rituals, but no relief was granted. The groom, Akash alias Bhura Haddi, an alleged gangster active in the area, was to marry Seema on Wednesday afternoon when police arrived at the wedding mandap and detained him along with his associates. Police say the accused had jointly kidnapped a priest and released him only after receiving ₹50,000 as the first instalment, while the remaining ₹7 lakh ransom was to be paid in five instalments. Priest kidnapped for marriage Police have so far arrested Akash alias Bhura Haddi and his five associates, Rajamji Thakur, Abhishek Upadhyay, Abhishek Meena, Neeraj Khange, and Amit Oswal. They have been taken on three-day remand so that police can recover the bike and mobile phones used in the crime. During questioning, Akash told police he needed money for his wedding, and part of the extorted amount was spent on wedding preparations on the Haldi day. His associate, Akash Upadhyay, had suggested kidnapping the priest for extortion. To prevent the priest from going to the police, Upadhyay also planned to implicate him in a rape case by sending a girl to him. The priest was later kept captive in Taufiq alias Shooter’s flat in Idgah Hills Multi. Priest was friends with gang member DCP Mayur Khandelwal said the 26-year-old priest from Sanjeev Nagar was friends with gang member Akash Upadhyay. On March 10, 2025, Upadhyay called him to a room in Jain Nagar and asked him to bring an acquaintance girl from Lalghati, which he did. Held hostage and beaten The DCP said the accused then assaulted the priest and demanded ₹8 lakh, threatening to kill him if he did not pay. They forcibly took him on a bike and held him hostage in Taufiq’s flat in a multi-storey building in Vajpayee Nagar, where he was beaten. The accused called the priest’s brother and extorted ₹50,000 online, demanding the remaining ₹7.5 lakh in five instalments. They also threatened to send the girl to the police station and file a rape case if the money was not paid. After receiving ₹50,000, the accused released the priest. The victim then reached the police station on March 11 and lodged an FIR. Akash murdered a BJP Yuva Morcha leader Surendra Kushwah, Mandal Vice President of BJP Yuva Morcha, was murdered in Bhopal on March 18, 2024. The main accused in the case is Akash alias Bhura Haddi, who was released on bail four months ago after spending about 18 months in jail. Surendra was killed near the main gate of Bhopal Central Jail while returning after dropping a companion there, after his parole ended, when henchmen of Akash’s illegal gang attacked and murdered him. Gang active in the area for eight years The ‘Illegal’ gang has been active since 2018, with over 50 youths from the multi-storey buildings of Vajpayee Nagar as members. All have ‘Illegal’ tattooed on their necks as their identity. Gang leader Akash alias Bhura Haddi has 31 criminal cases registered against him, including murder. Criminal cases are also registered against the five recently arrested associates in different police station areas. However, the female gang member accused of blackmailing the priest and extortion is still absconding. Liquor smuggling, extortion, and gambling main activities The gang’s main activities include illegal liquor smuggling, extortion, blackmail, gambling, and betting. Members operate in Panchsheel Nagar, Shyamla Hills, TT Nagar, Kamala Nagar, Shahjahanabad, and Kohefiza police station areas. Serious cases such as drug trafficking and contract assault are also registered against Akash.