Chap 1: Karim Lala and the Early Days of Mumbai’s Underworld

A Crime Diaries Exclusive | June 2025

Before bullets echoed in the lanes of Dongri and Byculla, before Dawood Ibrahim became a name whispered in fear, Mumbai’s underworld had already taken birth. Its roots were not in violence but in opportunity in the grey zones between legality and survival. The origin of the Mumbai underworld is deeply tied to the city’s ports, its growing migrant population, and the lack of economic equality during British rule and early independence.

In the first half of the 20th century, Mumbai (then Bombay) emerged as a vital trade hub. Its docks became entry points for illegal gold, liquor, and electronic goods. As trade increased, so did the black markets and with them, a new class of operators who knew how to bend the rules without making noise.

Smuggling: The Underworld’s First Business

Smuggling was the heartbeat of early underworld activity. Due to heavy import duties and bans, products like gold, silver, foreign liquor, and radios were highly profitable in the black market. The city’s coastline, especially areas around Colaba and the docks, became hotbeds of smuggling operations.

This illegal trade gave birth to a unique kind of entrepreneur men who became kings of the night without ever holding a political office or a corporate chair.

Karim Lala – The Pathan Legacy

Karim Lala was one of the earliest and most powerful figures in Mumbai’s underworld. Originally from Afghanistan, he settled in Mumbai and quickly took charge of illegal money lending, gambling dens, and extortion rackets. He led the Pathan gang, which operated mainly in South Mumbai.

Lala commanded loyalty and fear in equal measure. Unlike future dons who relied more on violence, he projected an image of a “benevolent gangster” who solved disputes and maintained order in his territories.

Haji Mastan – The Smuggler Superstar

Born in Tamil Nadu, Haji Mastan moved to Mumbai as a child and began working in the docks. He slowly built a smuggling empire in the 1960s, specializing in gold, foreign goods, and electronics. Mastan was not just a don he was a brand. Known for his white clothes, luxury cars, and connections with Bollywood stars, he transformed the image of the Mumbai gangster from gunda to gentleman.

He also financed films and maintained close ties with actors and producers, making him one of the first underworld figures to merge crime with cinema.

Varadarajan Mudaliar – The Tamil Powerhouse

While Mastan and Lala controlled parts of South and Central Mumbai, Varadarajan Mudaliar held sway over areas like Dharavi, Matunga, and Sion. A South Indian by origin, he ran gambling dens, smuggled goods, and controlled the water mafia in slums.

Varada, as he was called, was feared but also respected. He held community feasts, funded temple work, and ensured that the police and political figures remained on his payroll. His rise showed how different linguistic and regional identities carved their own niche in Mumbai’s crime network.

Rules of the Old Underworld

Unlike the chaotic gang wars of later decades, the 1960s and 70s underworld was more disciplined. Each don had their territory, and mutual respect kept bloodshed to a minimum. There were rules: no unnecessary killings, no interference in each other’s business, and always keep the police and politicians happy.

This “code of honor” may sound strange, but it was what kept the early underworld organized and relatively peaceful.

The Calm Before the Storm

By the late 1970s, Mumbai’s underworld had laid down strong roots. Smuggling was at its peak, the dons were celebrities in their own right, and the police mostly looked the other way. But this calm was deceptive.

A storm was brewing in the bylanes of Dongri. A young boy named Dawood Ibrahim, son of a police constable, was learning the tricks of the trade. He would soon change the face of the underworld forever.

Source:

Compiled from historical accounts and reports on Mumbai’s underworld, including research from The Quint, Scroll.in, and various criminal history archives.

Chap 2: Dawood Ibrahim – The Rise of India’s Infamous Crime Lord

From the narrow lanes of Dongri to becoming the most feared name in India’s criminal world — this chapter traces Dawood Ibrahim’s transformation from a street-smart teenager to the mastermind behind D-Company. Discover how betrayal, ambition, and bloodshed marked the rise of India’s most wanted crime lord.