For years, she was out of the law’s reach, but Delhi Police arrested Zoya Khan, notoriously called the ‘Lady Don’ at last. The 33-year-old wife of notorious gangster Hashim Baba was apprehended with 270 grams of heroin worth about ₹1 crore in the international market.
Zoya had been the subject of great interest for the law enforcement community for decades but had never fallen into their trap. She ran her incarcerated husband’s crime syndicate from behind bars, and no direct link between her and illicit activities could ever be traced. So many times, the police had suspected her but had never found sufficient evidence to pin a case against her—until now.
Hashim Baba, who is a toughened criminal with cases of murder, extortion, and smuggling arms, has spent years in jail. Zoya is his third wife. She had been married once before that, in 2017. Her divorce followed after which she hooked up again with Baba, a former neighbor of hers from North East Delhi, and they quickly transformed into a criminal relationship.
Managing the Crime Syndicate
Since the time of Baba’s arrest, Zoya has managed the operations of the gang. Her role was reportedly that of Haseena Parkar, sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who used to control his illegal enterprises.
Delhi Police Special Cell sources confirm that she was involved in extortion and peddling of drugs. In contrast to traditional crime bosses, Zoya lived a glamorous life, partying with who’s who of the city, sporting designer brands, and having a large social media following.
Zoya regularly met Baba at Tihar Jail, where he taught her how to apply coded language while sending secret messages. He schooled her in the handling of gang money and criminal activities. According to the police, she kept direct interaction with his handlers outside jail and worked in contact with other offenders.
Arrested in North East Delhi
Though there were several attempts, the police had failed to apprehend her. But this time, based on inputs, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Zoya in the Welcome area of North East Delhi. She was nabbed red-handed with a huge amount of heroin, reportedly brought from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, for distribution.
Suspected Links to the Nadir Shah Murder Case
Authorities suspect that Zoya provided shelter to shooters involved in the Nadir Shah murder case. Shah, a gym owner in South Delhi’s upscale Greater Kailash-1, was shot dead in September 2024. Last month, Zoya was questioned at the Special Cell’s Lodhi Colony office regarding her possible involvement in the case.
Crime Runs in the Family
Zoya hails from a family well entrenched in criminal activities. Her mother was imprisoned in 2024 for her suspected role in a sex trade ring and is out on bail now. Her father was known to be connected with drug networks. Zoya herself worked out of several offices in North East Delhi, most notably Usmanpur, and was never short of four or five gun-carrying goons—die-hards of her gangster husband.
The North East Delhi area has been inhabited by criminal gangs like the Chhenu gang, the Hashim Baba gang, and the Nasir Pehelwan gang for a long time. Originally involved in drug peddling, these gangs have been involved in violent battles since 2007. Baba’s gang had amassed huge extortion money, most of which was routed to Zoya.
Associations with Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi
Baba’s name had appeared in the case of the murder of Nadir Shah last year. During his stay at Tihar Jail, he is said to have admitted to being involved and had named Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious gangster accused of murdering singer Sidhu Moose Wala and shooting outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s house.
Baba and Bishnoi, as per police sources, had formed connections during Baba’s 2021 incarceration. Though they were kept in different prisons, they kept in touch via unauthorized phone connections and video calls, purportedly orchestrating criminal activities from prison.