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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kulkarni became victim of BJP conspiracy as he grew politically in North Karnataka: Shivakumar
_vb_59.jpeg)
Bengaluru (PTI): Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claimed on Friday that Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case, has become a victim of a BJP conspiracy because he was growing politically in the north Karnataka region.
Stating that he has faith in Kulkarni and believes he has done nothing wrong, he said the former minister will fight the case legally by filing an appeal.
A Bengaluru court on Friday sentenced Kulkarni and fifteen others to life imprisonment in the BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar murder case.
On Wednesday, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, Judge of the Special Court for cases involving elected representatives, convicted Kulkarni and others under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and murder.
“I respect the court. But there was a big conspiracy in this case. When the police were about to file a B-report, the CBI was given the case to harass him (Kulkarni). Vinay Kulkarni has become a victim of a BJP conspiracy as he was growing politically in north Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he said Kulkarni has several legal options.
“I have spoken to his family. He swore on God and told me that he had not done anything wrong. I still have faith in him. I feel that he has not done anything wrong. He has an opportunity to file an appeal,” he said, adding that he stands with Kulkarni’s family and supporters and believes he will get justice.
The case pertains to the killing of Goudar, a BJP zilla panchayat member, in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Kulkarni was a minister at the time. Hired assailants allegedly attacked and hacked Goudar to death in his gym in Saptapur, Dharwad.
Following demands from Goudar’s family and others, the then-BJP government transferred the case to the CBI in 2019.
Veteran BJP leader and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, under whose tenure the case was handed over to the CBI, told reporters in Chikkamagaluru, “I said what I needed to say when the crime happened, and what I said—that the guilty should be punished and justice should be served—has proven true.”
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, BJP leader and MLC C T Ravi, reacting to the court order, said, “Justice delayed, but not denied.”
