Ex-Dawood Ibrahim aide gangster Ejaz Lakdawala arrested in Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 9: Fugitive gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, wanted in connection with several cases of extortion and attempt to kill, has been arrested by Mumbai Police's anti- extortion cell, a top official said on Thursday.
Lakdawala, 50, was detained at Patna by the anti- extortion cell with the help of Bihar Police on Wednesday. He was then brought to Mumbai and placed under arrest late Wednesday night, Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve told reporters here.
Once a close aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Lakdawala was wanted in at least 27 cases in Maharashtra, including 25 in Mumbai, he said, adding that as of now 80 people have come forward with complaints against him.
After being arrested, Lakdawala was produced in a Mumbai court which remanded him in police custody till January 21, the official said.
"He was wanted in various cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) cases. All these cases will be investigated concurrently," he said.
In May 2004, Lakdawala was arrested by the Canadian Police in Ottawa.
A few years back he was believed to be somewhere in North America, although he frequently changed his locations to SouthEast Asia as well.
A Red Corner notice was earlier issued against him.
On the operation to nab Lakdawala, Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Saxena said their efforts to nab the fugitive gangster were on since the last six months and the city police force was working closely with central agencies.
"Our efforts gained momentum after the arrest of Lakdawala's daughter Shifa Shahid Shaikh at the Mumbai International Airport on December 28 while she was travelling to Nepal on a fake passport," he said.
Shaikh was travelling with a passport in the name of Soniya Manish Advani, he said.
During her interrogation, police got some important information aboutLakdawala's movements following which he was nabbed at Jakkanpur village in Patna, he said.
Lakdawala has been arrested on a complaint filed with the anti-extortion cell by a businessman from Khar in Mumbai.
His daughter has also been arrested in the same case, the official said.
After splitting with fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim, Lakdawala started operating with gangster Chhota Rajan. He, however, parted ways with Rajan in 2008 and started running his operations independently, Saxena said.
"We have information that he stayed in Canada, Malaysia, USA, London and Nepal and we will confirm this information during investigation," he said.
He was operating under various fakes names, passports and travel documents, the official said.
"Mumbai Police will examine all those documents," he added.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
