US ‘donkey route’ escape foiled: Gangster Kapil Sangwan’s aide bails amid Trump crackdown on illegal immigrants, arrested

During questioning, they allegedly revealed that the weapons were meant to be delivered to Rathee and his associates in Delhi. Subsequent searches went on to reveal that Rathee had already fled India by then. An open-dated non-bailable warrant was issued against him on March 5, 2024, along with a look-out circular (LOC).

“When Rathee learned that police were looking for him, he fled to Dubai via Lucknow, where he stayed for three-four months. He was then instructed to go to the US via the donkey route,” an officer said.

“He crossed the border of eight countries in the Middle East and Europe. His journey came to a halt when he entered Spain from Belarus, where he stayed for around six months. There, he came to know that the US administration has started a massive crackdown against illegal immigrants,” the officer added.

Fearing he would be caught, he decided to return to India, Rathee allegedly told the police.

“It is suspected that he wanted to stay in the US to operate the gang for Nandu. His elder brother, who is also facing criminal cases, is also believed to be in the US,” the officer said.

DCP Kaushik said that as soon as he landed in Delhi on January 9, he was caught by the airport authorities and handed over to the Special Cell.

“Rathee studied up to Class 12 in Bahadurgarh and joined the Merchant Navy in 2013, working with a Syria-based shipping company. After quitting in 2017, he became a property dealer before joining the Nandu gang in 2019. In 2021, he allegedly participated in the murder of a property dealer in Najafgarh on Sangwan’s instructions. He remained in jail for a few months,” he added.

After securing the bail in the murder case, Rathee allegedly began arranging illegal weapons for the gang from suppliers in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Following the arrest of the suppliers, he absconded abroad for nearly two years, continuing to work for the gang from overseas, Kaushik said.

Rathee was booked in two Arms Act cases – one lodged by Baba Haridas Nagar police station and the other by the Special Cell. He had been declared a Proclaimed Offender by the court, and proceedings under CrPC Section 82 (proclamation for person absconding) were initiated against him, police said.

Who is Kapil Sangwan?

Born in 1994, Kapil Sangwan hails from Delhi’s Najafgarh. He faces over a dozen cases related to extortion, land grabbing, and murder in both Delhi and Haryana.

He was arrested in 2016 and remained in jail until 2019, when he was granted parole for a month. During that period, his associates organised a grand party at a farmhouse, built on encroached government land, in Najafgarh. Although the Crime Branch raided the event and arrested 22 people, Sangwan could not be found. A Red Corner Notice was issued against him in June 2021.

Sangwan is allegedly involved in the murder of Haryana INLD leader Nafe Singh Rathee in February 2024. The killing is believed to be linked to his gang rivalry with jailed gangster Manjeet Mahal. His elder brother, Jyoti, who also faces criminal cases, is lodged in Delhi jail.