Gangster Ejaz's daughter arrested
The Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of Mumbai Police Crime Branch arrested Soniya Lakdawala alias Soniya Shaikh, the daughter of gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday. Police said, Soniya was about to board a flight to Nepal with the help of a fake passport, when she was intercepted on Friday night. She was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for extortion and conspiracy.
Earlier this year, a Khar-based developer approached the Khar police and registered a com- plaint after he was threatened in an extortion bid. The case was later transferred to the AEC, who booked an unidentified accused under relevant sections of the IPC for extortion (section 387) and criminal conspiracy (section 120B) along with sections of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
During the probe, the AEC found the involvement of wanted fugitive Ejaz and his brother Akil Lakdawala. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested Akil Lakdawala in March.
Akil revealed in the interrogation that Ejaz’s daughter, Soniya, was living in the country and had fake documents and passport. Police then activated their network of informers to find leads on Soniya.
On Friday, police received a tip-off that Soniya was trying to flee the country and escape to Nepal with her daughter. The AEC immediately alerted the airport authorities, who intercepted and detained her. From primary questioning, it was learnt that Soniya married a Versova-based man, Shahid Shaikh. Last year, she got an Indian passport from Mumbai by submitting fake documents like PAN card, AADHAAR card, bank account details among others. Based on this information, she was booked under relevant sections of the IPC for forgery and common intention. Soniya was arrested for these crimes. Police said, Soniya was produced in a local magistrate's court on Saturday and remanded in police custody till December 30. Meanwhile, police are also trying to ascertain her role in connection to the extortion and threat case involving the Kharbased developer.
Earlier this year, a Khar-based developer approached the Khar police and registered a complaint after he was threatened in an extortion bid.
Fugitive gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, a former Chhota Rajan henchman, has of late started efforts to fill the void created by the arrests of Chhota Rajan, Iqbal Kaskar and Ravi Pujari. However, according to sources, intercepts of his extortion calls reveal that he has little money and no foot soldiers to do his bidding.