All five were arrested while planning a dacoity, the police said.

The gang’s area of operation extended from Meerut to Muzzafarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Sources told Newsline that the gang was headed by Ameeruddin and Rupali Kamboj alias Ayesha, who is the president of the women’s wing of the Socialist Party in Pithoragarh Vidhan Sabha constituency in Uttarakhand.

Kamboj is said to have confessed to her involvement in a number of crimes both Kamboj and Ameeruddin were influential in the SP government in UP.

Another party activist, Shokeen, is also stated to be an active party member, who assisted Ameeruddin in the execution of crimes.

They have links with a notorious gang headed by Vahid Ansari in Bihar, said the police.

Shokeen, who has a business of CD players, reportedly invited the gang to operate in Ambala.

According to the ASI Naresh Kumar, “Ameeruddin has confessed that he started lifting costly cars in the garb of the SP leader. He disclosed that he was involved in several cases of cheating, dacoities and exchange of fake currency notes.”