Cops record murder accused’s statement against senior officer

MUMBAI: The Mumbai crime branch has recorded the statement of murder accused Vijay Palande, regarding his complaint against Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Deven Bharti, alleging a nexus between the officer and underworld gangsters. A senior officer, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Palande’s statement was recorded for more than four hours by an officer of the rank of the deputy commissioner of police.

Palande is facing charges in three murder cases and is currently in judicial custody.

“Palande was in judicial custody so we submitted an application in court and following the court order he was brought to the crime branch office from the prison on Monday afternoon and his statement was recorded,” said the crime branch officer.

The officer said the Mumbai Police had obtained permission from the sessions court to record Palande’s statement on February 24.

Earlier, the home ministry has stated that it was looking into a complaint submitted by Palande against Bharti.

The ATS chief, however, had denied any wrongdoing, calling the complaint “malicious and furthering a criminal’s agenda”. “A serial killer-gangster, who is accused in six murder cases and other serious cases, is arrested in 2012. He makes a motivated, malicious, and wild complaint in 2018 and it is being peddled in 2020,” said Bharti.

In his complaint, submitted to the chief vigilance commissioner (CVC), Delhi, on December 31, 2018, Palande alleged a nexus between Bharti and underworld gangsters. “He asked me to give details of big businessmen, their phone numbers, and financial worth. Initially, I did not know why he was asking but eventually, I realised he was passing this information to the underworld and then the gangsters were threatening these businessmen for extortion. Subsequently, they went to the crime branch for protection and Bharti handled their cases, advised them to give the money,” reads Palande’s complaint, a copy of which HT has.

MUMBAI: The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch arrested gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, his associate and police informer Salim Penwala alias Salim Maharaj, and fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Tariq Parveen in a fresh extortion case on Monday, soon after the three accused were remanded in judicial custody by the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in a previous case. Lakdawala, Penwala, and Parveen were produced in the Esplanade court and remanded in police custody till February 26.

The three accused were arrested based on a police complaint by a real estate developer. The complainant allegedly lost ₹7.5 crore while developing two dilapidated buildings in Pydhonie area after Parveen forcefully became a partner in the business.

The builder claimed he had asked Parveen not to interfere in the business and also tried to remove him from the partnership. However, according to crime branch officers, Parveen allegedly threatened the complainant.

Salim Maharaj also used to reportedly visit the construction site with Parveen, and the AEC suspects threats and demands for extortion were made to the builder on the behalf of Ejaz Lakdawala.

The complainant approached the crime branch last week and following his statement, a first information report (FIR) was registered against the three accused. Crime branch officers said that Parveen had been involved in similar activities with many other construction firms in south Mumbai. Lakdawala, Penwala, and Parveen were earlier arrested by the AEC for allegedly threatening and extorting money from a dry-fruit businessman in south Mumbai.

Police said Praveen had forwarded the victim’s contact to Lakdawala who then started threatening the victim and demanded ₹2 crore from him. The businessman approached Parveen to settle the issue, following which Penwala demanded ₹10 lakh instead. The victim gave ₹3 lakh to the accused and closed his business before leaving for his native place in Gujarat.