Dawood’s brother Iqbal Kaskar extorts Rs 5.3 crore from Thane builder, arrested
Kaskar was taken into custody from his sister Haseena’s house in Nagpada area of Central Mumbai on Monday night
Iqbal Kaskar, the brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, and his two aides have been arrested by Thane Anti-Extortion Cell in connection with an extortion case.
According to police, Kaskar and his associates had allegedly been threatening a prominent builder in Thane in Dawood’s name since 2013, and extorted Rs 30 lakh and four flats from him.
Mumtaz Sheikh and Israr Ali Jamil Sayyad, who were earlier detained, were formally placed under arrest, Thane’s Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh told reporters today.
Besides Iqbal Parkar, drug dealer Mohammad Yasin Khwaja Hussain was also detained in connection with the case, the officer said.
Kaskar was taken into custody last night from his sister Haseena’s house in Nagpada area of Central Mumbai by a team led by encounter specialist and the Anti-Extortion Cell’s senior police inspector Pradeep Sharma.
He was questioned till late last night by the crime branch officials and then formally arrested, Singh said, adding that they are also investigating if Dawood Ibrahim had any role in the matter. If his role is proved, he will also be made an accused in the case.
Kaskar and his associates allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh and four flats from the builder in Dawood’s name. He had also sent his aide to the builders office and at the construction site to extort money, Singh said.
The builder later gave four flats worth Rs 5 crore and Rs 30 lakh in cash to Kaskar, but he refused to budge and continued threatening him.
Out of the four flats, three were sold and one was registered in the name of Sayyad, who was staying in it for the last few years, the senior police officer said.
A few days ago, an extortion case was registered on the basis of the complaint by the builder at Thane’s Kasarwadavali police station under IPC section 384 (extortion), 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt) and 387 (putting person in fear
of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion).
Later, the case was handed over to the Thane Police’s Anti-Extortion Cell.
During investigation, the police initially nabbed Sheikh and Sayyad from Thane. Later, Kaskar’s name also cropped up in the case, along with those of some known builders and politicians, Singh said.
“We are investigating whether they were helping Kaskar in the extortion racket. If needed, we will also take help of the Enforcement Directorate and verify whether the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) can be applied in this case,” the commissioner said.
Kaskar, who was deported from the United Arab Emirates in 2003, is said to be operating Dawood’s real estate business in the city. He was wanted in a murder case and the Sara Sahara illegal construction case.
He was, however, acquitted in both the cases in 2007.
