For years, she  has always managed to slip through the cracks of law. But the reign of Delhi’s ‘Lady Don’ has come to an end. Zoya Khan, wife of the gangster Hashim Baba, has been arrested with 270 grams of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 1 crore in the international market.

The woman who ran a gangster’s empire

Even after being in police surveillance for years, 33-year-old Zoya remained one step ahead of the authorities. She seized control of her husband's crime syndicate following his arrest to ensure that there was never any direct evidence sufficient to indict her.

Hashim Baba, a feared name in Delhi’s underworld, has multiple cases against him, including murder, extortion, and arms smuggling. Zoya is his third wife. Before marrying him in 2017, she was previously wed to another man, but after her divorce, she and Baba—who were neighbors in North East Delhi—became close.

After Baba got jailed, Zoya took over his job. As per the police sources, she operated extortion rackets and sold drugs as efficiently as Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar, who controlled his criminal empire at one time.

In contrast to the stereotypical image of a gangster, Zoya carefully crafted her public image. She was on social media, showcasing designer clothes, partying, and living a life of luxury. Her online image was a stark contrast to her actual activities.

The breakthrough arrest

The Special Cell of Delhi Police and the Crime Branch were trying to frame her for years. But this time, their network paid off. On a tip-off, officials apprehended Zoya at the Welcome area of North East Delhi. She was caught in possession of a large amount of heroin, which was allegedly being brought from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, for distribution.

Police suspect Zoya might have also given refuge to killers who carried out the murder of gym owner Nadir Shah. Shah was gunned down in Greater Kailash-1, a posh area in South Delhi, in September 2024. Zoya was interrogated by police at the Special Cell office in Lodhi Colony last month in relation to the case.

A family linked to crime

Zoya's fall into crime was no accident—there was a family tradition of it. Her mother was arrested in 2024 for her involvement in a sex trafficking racket, although she is out on bail now. Her father was allegedly associated with narcotics syndicates.

Operating mainly in North East Delhi’s Usmanpur area, Zoya was always accompanied by armed bodyguards—loyal henchmen of her jailed husband. This region has long been a battleground for gang rivalries, with factions like the Chhenu gang, the Hashim Baba gang, and the Nasir Pehelwan gang vying for control. While these groups initially focused on drug trafficking, their violent turf wars have led to a series of high-profile murders since 2007.

Underworld connection: Connections to Lawrence Bishnoi

Baba's criminal influence spread across his own group. His name also came up in the Nadir Shah murder case, and while in jail at Tihar, he reportedly confessed to being involved with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi as well. Bishnoi, a prime suspect in the murder of musician Sidhu Moose Wala and the attempted firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Mumbai house, operates an extensive network of contract killers.

Police investigations showed that Baba and Bishnoi struck up a friendship while in 2021's prison. Separated in jails, they kept in contact on illegal mobile networks and video calls, planning the crimes from there.

With the arrest of Zoya Khan, the police have thrown a major blow to Hashim Baba's syndicate. But investigators are convinced that parts of the gang could still be active. The attention now turns to dismantling the syndicate in entirety and making sure that Zoya gets the full weight of the law.

Her capture marks the fall of one of Delhi’s most elusive crime figures—but whether it’s truly the end of her empire remains to be seen.

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