Mumbai’s 'Z' Gang Link Emerges In UP Influencer’s Boyfriend’s Death Case

Uttar Pradesh-based influencer and make-up artist Shraddha Dubey, arrested in connection with the suspected murder of her businessman boyfriend Shiva Sharma in Lucknow, is being investigated for alleged links to Mumbai’s notorious ‘Z’ gang, an organised crime syndicate reportedly involved in extortion and drug trafficking.

Dubey, her sister Rashmi Dubey and their driver Danish were arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) in Nagpur on Tuesday after allegedly changing locations several times to evade the police.

Sharma, who owned a chain of restaurants, fell to his death from Dubey’s fourth-floor flat in Lucknow on October 9. His family has alleged that Dubey murdered him, an allegation she has denied.

Suspects Fled To Nepal Before Reaching Nagpur

According to the police, the three suspects initially escaped from Lucknow to Nepal following Sharma’s death. They subsequently returned to Lucknow and travelled through Rae Bareli, Agra and Jhansi before reaching Nagpur.

Investigators believe the suspects were preparing to flee again when the STF tracked them down and arrested them.

Police sources claimed that members of Mumbai’s ‘Z’ gang had offered Dubey shelter at a farmhouse in Nagpur. However, investigators located her before she could move into the property.

Sources also claimed that Dubey had been communicating with members of the gang through FaceTime. The police have recovered three iPhones from her, and further investigation is underway.

Mumbai’s ‘Z’ Gang Under Scanner For Extortion And Drug Links

The ‘Z’ gang, also known as the Zulfikar Behlim gang, allegedly operates an organised crime and extortion network in Mumbai’s western suburbs. Its activities have been compared to those of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s D-gang.

In July, the police arrested 12 people in connection with an extortion case involving a builder who was allegedly threatened and asked to pay ₹25 lakh. The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) was invoked in the case in August.

The gang is also suspected of supplying drugs to rave parties and Page 3 events. Police sources claimed that investigators have gathered substantial evidence concerning its alleged criminal activities, including possible involvement in drug smuggling.

Dubey Denies Murder Allegations, Claims Boyfriend Died By Suicide

Dubey has rejected the allegations against her, describing them as “baseless”. She claimed that Sharma died by suicide and alleged that he was under a debt of ₹20 lakh.

According to Dubey, Sharma had previously spoken about ending his life if he was unable to repay the money.

In a video released days before her arrest, she also disputed the allegations made by Sharma’s family and maintained that their relationship had been relatively brief.

“I have known this individual (Shiva Sharma) for only four months; for about two to two-and-a-half of those months, we were friends. He never visited my home. He only started coming over in the last two months-and surely, things couldn’t have deteriorated so drastically in such a short time that we would harbour such intentions toward one another. His mother has made false accusations because she never liked me,” she said.

The police are continuing their investigation into Sharma’s death and Dubey’s suspected connections with the Mumbai-based gang.