Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, his associate Salim Maharaj, and Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Tariq Parveen were arrested in a fresh extortion case on Monday soon after a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court remanded them in judicial custody for allegedly trying to extort ₹2 crore from a dry fruits businessman in south Mumbai.
According to the complainant, soon after Mr. Lakdawala had demanded ₹2 crore from him, he had approached Mr. Parveen to sort out the issue. However, Mr. Parveen and Mr. Maharaj demanded another ₹10 lakh from him. The complainant gave them ₹3 lakh, but realised that the accused would demand more money, so he closed his business and went to his native place in Gujarat.
On Monday, the Anti Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch produced the trio before a metropolitan magistrate’s court and sought their custody in a case, where the complainant said he was developing two dilapidated buildings in Pydhonie, and due to Mr. Parveen’s interference, he lost ₹7.5 crore.
The Crime Branch said Mr. Maharaj also used to visit the developer and it suspected that the duo threatened the complainant at the behest of Mr. Lakdawala. The court after hearing the Crime Branch’s submission granted it custody of the trio till Wednesday.
