Extortion case: No proof yet to link Kaskar to gangster brother Dawood

MUMBAI: More than a week after arresting Iqbal Kaskar in an extortion case, the Thane police are yet to come across evidence to link him with his elder brother, gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

However, the Anti Extortion Cell (AEC), which is investigating the case, claimed to have come across evidence of Dawood aide Chhota Shakeel’s connivance with Kaskar in running the extortion syndicate. Shakeel is now a wanted accused in the case.

A senior AEC official sought to reason out the paucity of evidence in linking Kaskar and Dawood by saying that the Pakistan-based fugitive has since long been keeping himself away from the gang’s Mumbai operations to dodge security surveillance.

“In fact, the gang’s entire operation in India has been looked after by Dawood’s aide Chhota Shakeel since the late 1990s,” the official said, adding, “Shakeel is the go-between Dawood and others in Mumbai, including Kaskar. The very involvement of Shakeel is a direct indictment of Dawood’s tacit approval.”

Shakeel, as per the remand application submitted by the Thane police in the magistrate’s court on Wednesday while seeking an extension of Kaskar’ s police custody, had made extortion demands to the developer through two of the wanted accused, who are hired shooters from Bihar. The calls were made to facilitate Kaskar’s extortion needs. These shooters would also visit the construction site/s and call up Shakeel to make extortion demands to other developer/s.

In the present case, a Borivli-based businessman, identified as Pankaj Danger, financed the gunmen. Meanwhile, police claimed that Kaskar and his cronies had made investments in land, flats and properties in Mumbai, Thane and even outside Maharashtra from the proceeds of their extortion racket.

AUTHORITIES CLAIM TO HAVE COME ACROSS EVIDENCE OF DAWOOD AIDE CHHOTA SHAKEEL’S CONNIVANCE WITH KASKAR IN THE EXTORTION SYNDICATE