The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids in 24 locations in Mumbai and five locations in Mira Bhayandar areas connected to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his close associates.
The Central agency is reported to have raided premises in Mahim, Bandra, Nagpada, Byculla, Mumbra, Bhendi Bazaar, Parel, Santacruz, Borivali and Goregaon. It detained Salim Qureshi aka Salim Fruit, an associate of detained gangster Chhota Shakeel and seven others including Mahim Dargah trustee Suhail Khandwani.
An NIA statement said, “During the searches conducted at premises of the suspected associates of Dawood Ibrahim, various incriminating materials including electronic devices, documents of investments in real estate, huge cash and firearms were seized.”
The case pertains to terror/criminal activities of the international terrorist network of D-Company involving Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and his associates including Haji Anees aka Anees Ibrahim Shaikh, Shakeel Shaikh aka Chhota Shakeel, Javed Patel aka Javed Chikna and Ibrahim Mushtaq Abdul Razzaq Memon aka Tiger Memon who are indulging in arms smuggling, narco-terrorism, money laundering, circulation of FICN.
The Central agency claims that they are in unauthorised possession/involved in acquisition of key assets for raising terror funds and working in active collaboration with international terrorist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Al Qaeda (AQ).
Meanwhile, two out of eight detained were released post NIA raids. Detainees include Salim Fruit, Abdul Qayoom, Suhail Khandwani, Samir Hingura, Guddu Pathan, Mobida Bhiwandiwala, Aslam Patani and Ajay Gosaria. Suhail Khandwani was released post search of more than 12 hours at his residence and office, where NIA seized some documents and his account details. Mobida Bhiwandiwala, who’s known to have close links with D-Gang was also released and NIA seized her mobile and some documents.
This is the same case under which Nationalist Congress Party’s leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik was arrested and is currently in jail. The NIA filed the FIR on February 3, 2022, under criminal conspiracy and sections 17 (punishment of raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (punishment for conspiracy), 20 (punishment for being member of terrorist gang or organisation), 21 (punishment for holding proceeds of crime), 38 (offences relating to membership of a terrorist organisation) and 40 (offences of raising fund for a terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
