Hacker in Dawood-Khadse call fiasco arrested by cops

The Cyber Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch arrested the ethical hacker Manish Bhangale on Friday for falsely alleging a telephonic conversation between Bharatiya Janata Party heavyweight Eknath Khadse and fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Last year Bhangale had claimed to have procured the call details for the period from September 5, 2015 to April 6, 2016 from the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) by impersonating as Dawood’s wife Mehjabeen Shaikh.

Bhangale had alleged that Khadse has been featured in the frequently dialled list of Dawood Ibrahim. However, the allegation was outrightly been decried by Khadse, who had written letters to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and sought for thorough probe into the matter. Khadse, who held several key portfolios in the state Cabinet, had resigned in June 2016 after facing a string of allegations including irregularities in a land deal.

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was asked to investigate the matter. “The hacker had created fake mobile bill on his computer to show call records between Khadse and Dawood's residence in Pakistan. Bhangale has been arrested from Thane,” the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Saxena told the Free Press Journal.

The investigators have seized his laptop and mobile phone for investigation.

“I am curious to know how this action was initiated. Who was the complainant?” said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Preeti Sharma-Menon with whom the hacker addressed media last year regarding the matter.

“His arrest is not surprising. Khadse was given clean chit in 4 hours. In order to justify that clean chit there is no doubt they would arrest the hacker,” said Menon.