Chhota Shakeel supplied arms to Iqbal Kaskar: Cops
In a new development, it has been revealed that gangster Chhota Shakeel is a wanted accused in fugitive gangster Iqbal Kaskar extortion case. Kaskar, the brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was arrested last week in an extortion case registered against him by a builder at Thane.
During investigation, Chhota Shakeel's name has cropped up in connection with the extortion case in which Kaskar was arrested last week. The police state Shakeel used to supply arms to Kaskar and also funded his business.
During investigation, the name of one Pankaj Gangar, a Borivali-based angadia has cropped up. Gangar is wanted by the police in the extortion racket.
According to an official, “Gangar has been funding Kaskar's extortion racket for the past several years.”
Two sharp shooters of Chhota Shakeel gang Guddu and Shammi are also wanted in the case. The two gangsters are natives of Bihar. According to an official, “Two teams have been dispatched to Bihar to trace Guddu and Shammi.”
According to a crime branch official, the historysheeters Guddu and Shammi used to stay at residence of the arrested accused Mumtaz Shaikh at Mumbra during their visits to Mumbai for targeting builders and other businessmen. The sharp shooters were also wanted by the police in an arms case.
During interrogation, it has been revealed that Shakeel was in touch with Guddu and Shammi over the phone for extortion and killing assignments. Shakeel was also in touch with Mohammad Ahmed Mansuri alias Ahmad Langda who was detained on Monday. Mansuri is an accused in 1993 blast and also has an Arms Act case registered against him for being part of a shootout in JJ Hospital in 1992. He was also arrested for threatening former Bandra MLA Baba Siddique.
On Wednesday, the arrested accused Iqbal Kaskar, Mumtaz and Israr Ali Sayad were produced at the Thane sessions court for remand. They have been remanded to further police custody of four days.
According to senior counsel Shyam Keswani, who represented Kaskar, Mumtaz and Israr, “Kaskar is innocent. So what if Kaskar spoke to his brother Dawood Ibrahim, as per the claims by the police. The police have no evidence against Kaskar. What if Mehjabeen and Kaskar are in touch with each other. The police are claiming that the two other accused are in Bihar. Why don't they go and arrest them. My client was acquitted in the Sara Sahara trial too since there was no evidence against him.”
Iqbal was arrested by the crime branch of the Thane Police on September 19 in connection with an investigation into an extortion case
Iqbal, who was deported from the United Arab Emirates in 2003, is said to be operating his brother's real estate business in the city, the police said.
He was wanted in a murder case and the Sara Sahara illegal construction case. However, he was acquitted in both the cases in 2007.
Sharma, who led the team that detained Kaskar, was suspended in Lakhan Bhaiya encounter case and was recently reinstated in the police force.