A rumour started by the Delhi Police — that her house was being auctioned — led to the arrest of a 62-year-old woman who has nine criminal cases lodged against her, including one for contract killing. The accused, Basiran alias Mammi, was known to those in crime circles and the police as the "godmother of crime", and had been absconding for eight months after a case of contract killing in south Delhi's Sangam Vihar was registered against her. That's not all. According to police, Basiran also involved her eight sons in the world of crime, with the family facing a total of 113 cases — from illicit sale of liquor, theft, robbery and snatching to more grave crimes such as contract killing, attempt to murder and murder. "Before running away eight months ago, she also ran a water supply mafia in the area," DCP South, Romil Baaniya, said. Basiran’s three sons — Shamim alias Gunga (31), Faizal (23) and Rahul Khan (22) — have also been arrested, while the rest are either out on bail or on the run. “Shamim is already booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for running a crime syndicate. and Basiran, too, will be booked under the same Act to ensure she cannot get bail,” Baaniya said. According to police, in September last year, Basiran and her accomplices Akash, Vikash and Neeraj allegedly killed an Amethi resident, Miraz, and dumped the body in the jungles near Sangam Vihar. A case of contract killing was registered against her, and it was alleged that Basiran had taken Rs 60,000 from Miraz’s stepsister to kill him. The victim's identity was confirmed in December and Basiran's accomplices were arrested, while she managed to flee. A police source said, "She went underground. After failing to get any leads on her movement, a team led by inspector Upendra Singh devised a plan to spread a rumour in her locality about the authorities auctioning her house." According to a police officer, "on hearing this rumour, Basiran returned to check on her house. that's when she was nabbed by the team on Friday". Baaniya said that on May 5, Basiran was declared a proclaimed offender and her two-storey house in Sangam Vihar was sealed, as per orders of a trial court. He added, "Due to the water supply mafia and other illegal businesses that she ran, she had dominance in the area, which is why nobody complained against her or her family." Basiran was born in Agra and got married 45 years ago to Malkhan, who hailed from Rajasthan. In the 1980s, the two moved to Delhi and started staying at Navjeen Camp slums in Govindpuri. A decade later, she moved to Sangam Vihar with her family. Police have not filed any case against Malkhan, who used to herd sheep in the area. "Since she didn't have a permanent source of income, she began selling illicit liquor and gained notoriety. Basiran soon involved her children in the same trade," said Baaniya. It was in 2002 that she was first booked under the Excise Act. During the course of their investigation, police found that the family used to hide in the jungles behind their house to evade arrest. "Basiran's sons used to have makeshift structures in the jungle to hide. When we found out about it, they dismantled most of the structures," said an officer.
