New Delhi: The elusive 'Lady Don' of Delhi, Zoya Khan, has been apprehended after years of evasion. At 33, she was arrested for possessing 270 grams of heroin valued around Rs 1 crore in the international market. As the wife of infamous gangster Hashim Baba, Zoya long managed his criminal empire from behind the scenes, avoiding significant legal repercussions until now.

Despite numerous cases against Hashim, including murder, extortion, and arms smuggling, police struggled to gather concrete evidence against her.

Who Is Zoya Begum Khan?

Zoya, originally married before her 2017 marriage to Hashim, engaged in managing the gang's operations while maintaining a seemingly glamorous public persona. She mirrored the role of Haseena Parkar, sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, handling extortion and drug distribution. Zoya frequented high-profile events and showcased a lavish lifestyle on social media, further complicating her image as a crime boss.

She visited Hashim in Tihar Jail regularly, where he reportedly trained her in the gang's operations and coded language. However, the Special Cell of Delhi Police finally acted on intelligence, leading to her arrest in North East Delhi with heroin sourced from Muzaffarnagar intended for distribution.

Zoya is under police suspicion for allegedly sheltering shooters linked to the murder of Nadir Shah, a gym owner killed in September 2024 in Greater Kailash-1, South Delhi. Recently interrogated by the Special Cell, Zoya’s criminal ties are deep-rooted, stemming from a family legacy; her mother, recently out on bail, was imprisoned in 2024 for involvement in a sex trafficking ring, while her father had connections to drug trafficking.

Criminal Connections Of The 'Lady Don'

Operating mainly in North East Delhi's Usmanpur, Zoya is often seen with armed henchmen loyal to her gangster husband. This region is notorious for gangs like the Chhenu, Hashim Baba, and Nasir Pehelwan gangs, whose violent conflicts since 2007 have resulted in numerous murders, initially driven by drug trafficking.

The gangster Baba's group is known for significant extortion, much of which reportedly went to Zoya. Baba's involvement in Shah's murder emerged after he reportedly confessed in Tihar Jail, implicating Lawrence Bishnoi—another jailed gangster linked to high-profile crimes. Despite being in different prisons, Baba and Bishnoi allegedly maintained communication and coordinated their criminal enterprises through illegal channels.