Builder held in Tanasha case reveals key links

Slain gangster, Farid Tanasha

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: The crime branch will summon several developers from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane to question them about the payment of extortion money to the Chhota Rajan gang. The arrest of developer Rajendra Chavan in connection with the June 2 murder case of Farid Tanasha, a Rajan gang member, has brought shocking stories to light. The crime branch has so far arrested 11 persons in connection with the Tanasha’s murder.

“Chavan would collect information about the upcoming projects of builders and their contact numbers. He would then send the information to Rajan. He knew many builders who were into SRA and private projects and the information of these builders would be passed on to Rajan,’’ said crime branch chief Himanshu Roy, adding that they were preparing to summon some developers who have been victims of Rajan’s extortion threat. “We are exploring the case from all angles,’’ he said.

Roy added that Chavan, by providing information about developers, would get commission from the Rajan gang. It is learnt that Chavan has revealed the names of some of Rajan’s “victims’’.

Chavan, said a source, began his career in real estate as a small-time builder and has completed seven projects so far. In 2004, he received an extortion call from the Rajan gang. Later, he spoke to the gangster and promised that he could help fetch more money by providing information about various builders’ projects. He started from Vashi, Kalamboli, Sanpada and later extended his network up to Kalyan, Dombivli and Mumbai. “He would act as a middleman after a builder received threat calls, and after negotiation, he would collect the money. The money would be later sent to Rajan,’’ said an officer.

However, Rajan gang member, Bharat Nepali, came to know about these deals and started targeting Chavan, who promised making part payment to Nepali as well. During 2007, Nepali started establishing his own faction.

In 2008, Farid Tanasha, who was in the Arthur Road jail, was released and got in touch with Chavan. Tanasha insisted that the money be given to him and that he would directly send it to Rajan. However, he would not do so.

Meanwhile, Nepali contacted Rajan and informed him about Tanasha’s “wrong doings’’. He wanted to get even with Tanasha as he had taken the entire extortion business in his hands and had refused to pay Nepali. Nepali then hired shooters from Uttar Pradesh and planned Tanasha’s killing. Nepali had given a supari Rs 9 lakh to eliminate Tanasha. Sources said during this period, Rajan did not interfere between Tanasha and Nepali.

The Times of India, July 10,2010

‘Kolkata, Delhi on terror hit-list’

INTEL ALERT

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: In a fresh terror input, intelligence agencies have alerted the state antiterrorism squad and various security agencies about the possible penetration of 31 operatives of Bangladesh-based outfits, Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI), into India for carrying out terror strikes.

The one-page alert, marked “secret’’, contains specific information about 31 members of HuJI who are ready to infiltrate into India. “The members of HuJI are planning to come to India through the Bangladesh border. They will reach Kolkata in small groups. A person called Yusuf Saloni, a resident of Munshidanga (there is an area in Kolkata that is called Munshibazar), will receive them and make arrangements for their accommodation in different lodges,’’ the alert reads. The security agencies are tracking Saloni who is suspected to be associated with several banned outfits.

The alert from the intelligence agency has come after a month. Mumbai Police has been asked to keep its personnel on high alert but the prime targets of the group are said to be New Delhi and Kolkata. “However, the group may move to other cities,’’ the alert states. Various alerts have been issued by intel agencies in the last few months but none has contained such specific information.

“The American Consulate is their prime target. The group will stay in Kolkata for 10 days and later move out for their operation. It has to execute their operation prior to August 15 (India’s Independence Day) and will return to Bangladesh,’’ the alert states. It further said that some railway stations could also be on their target list.

Last year, the Mumbai Police received around 140 threat alerts but all were non-actionable. A senior police official said they had put their men on alert and nakabandis were on. “Cops are visiting lodges, hotels and rented flats to make enquiries,’’ the official said. Security at several foreign consulates in Mumbai and railway stations has been stepped up.

The Times of India, July 9, 2010

Samad meets media to present his story

RELIEVED: Samad (L) and Solkar at Tuesday’s press meet

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: Mubin Solkar, defence lawyer of Abdul Samad Zarar, who was earlier termed as a suspect in the Pune German Bakery blast, said Samad was innocent and was never questioned in the blast case. Solkar further said that Samad had nothing to do with the Arms Act case in which he was arrested and released on bail.

Samad was arrested from Bajpe airport in Karnataka by the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) on May 24 for his suspected involvement in the February 13 blast in Pune which killed 17 people. However, he was booked in a ninemonth-old Arms Act case.

Samad (23) appeared before the media for the first time since his arrest on Tuesday. Wearing a jeans and shirt, he was smiling during the press briefing by his defence lawyer, Mubin Solkar. “Unfortunately, an alias has been added to his name, Bhatkal. His name is not Bhatkal neither does he have that surname,’’ said Solkar.

Contradicting the Union home ministry’s statement about Samad’s role in the Pune blast, Solkar said, “Samad was never arrested for the Pune blast. He was booked in the arms seizure case. Samad does not have anything to do with
that case too. We will explore all legal options about filing a discharge application in future.’’

The ATS had arrested Samad on the basis of a CCTV footage where a young man was shown coming to German Bakery with two bags and leaving with one bag only. The ATS teams went to Karnataka where Samad studied. After getting confirmation that the man in the CCTV grab was similar to Samad, the ATS picked him up from the airport on May 24, soon after he landed from Dubai. “He was never questioned in connection with the Pune blast, nor did the Intelligence Bureau officials ask him anything related to the blast,’’ claimed Solkar, who had earlier told the media that Samad had been questioned about the Pune blast case.

Solkar said Samad had never visited Pune. “On the day of the blast, Samad was in Bangalore,’’ he said. The lawyer said that Samad had stayed in a lodge in Bangalore, of which they have documentary proof. Solkar said Samad does not have any brother with the name, Yaseen Bhatkal. “His brother’s name is Ahmed Mohammed, who went to Dubai in 2005 for a job, stayed there for a year and left his father’s place after a personal dispute with him. Since 2006, he is not in touch with any family members,’’ said Solkar.

The Times of India, July 7, 2010

Samad walks out of prison

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Eighteen days after a sessions court granted bail to Abdul Samad Zarar in a 2009 arms haul case, the 23-year-old “Pune blast suspect’’ was released on Sunday from Arthur Road jail.

Samad was granted bail on a surety of Rs 25,000 by a sessions court on June 15. “Samad was released around 10.30 am on Sunday,’’ said his lawyer, Mubin Solkar. “A police verification is mandatory in cases where an accused is granted bail on a surety of more than Rs 15,000.’’ Samad had been languishing in the jail due to the lengthy process of police verification for his bail surety.

The Times of India, July 6, 2010

Rs 1.75-cr Malabar Hill burglary solved

Recently Hired Domestic Helps Held Within 24 Hrs Of Committing The Crime

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: It took the Mumbai police less than 24 hours to nab two domestic helps who had robbed their employer’s Malabar Hill residence of diamond jewellery, mobile and cash adding up to Rs 1.75 crore.

According to the police, the domestic helps—Maharaj and Raju—cleaned out diamond trader Aatish Nahar’s flat in Tania Heights on Nepean Sea Road on Friday between 1 pm and 4.30 pm. “Maharaj started working at the complainant’s house on June 21 while Raju was employed by the family on June 27,” sub-inspector Balasaheb Shinde of the Malabar Hill police station said. “The two were close to each other. Perhaps, they hailed from the same town in Uttar Pradesh,” Shinde said.

The Nahars were sleeping when the two burgled the house. The family woke up to find their cupboards open and diamond jewellery, cash and mobile missing. “As the complainant is a diamond trader, he would keep some of the precious stones at home as well,” said Shinde. The police made some inquiries and managed to get information on Maharaj’s whereabouts. Maharaj was detained on Saturday. During interrogation, he gave out Raju’s location, following which he was apprehended. The police are believed to have recovered the entire booty. “We are questioning the two to find out if they had committed similar offences in the past,” Shinde added.

According to sources, the family had not listed either of the domestic helps with the local police. Following a spate of robberies and crimes involving domestic helps, the police had launched a campaign urging citizens to register their helps at the local police station to avoid any untoward incident. However, most avoid doing so.

The Times of India, July 4, 2010

‘One can count honest cops on fingers today’

Former director-general of police, A N Roy

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: IPS officer A N Roy, who retired as the head of the state police two months ago, has said that today, non-corrupt officers can be counted on fingers, which was not the scene when he joined the force.

In an interview to Mumbai police’s bi-monthly magazine, The Protector, Roy said rampant corruption at both higher and lower levels in the force saddened him. He said that when he joined the department, there were only a few corrupt officers, but now, honest cops can be counted on fingers.

Roy, who retired on May 31 after spending 38 years in the force, spoke at length about terrorism, metropolitan policing, the force strength, his own innings in the service and his role models. Roy, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, had served as the Mumbai police commissioner for over three years before heading the state police.

“When I joined the service, there were only a few officers who were spoken about as corrupt. There was a stigma attached to corruption at that time and we, the juniors, vowed that we will never be like them,’’ Roy told the magazine, adding, “Today, it is no longer a stigma, a flaw or a fault. Corruption is now allpervasive. You can now count on your fingers the uncorrupt officers.’’

Talking about corruption in the force, Roy said all this has led to dilution of discipline, lowering of morale and poor performance. “I am concerned about this growing menace, which is also a threat to our security. I would like to see the passing of some law or effective measures that will throttle this menace,’’ Roy said.

Roy did not agree that poor salaries was the reason for corruption. “In recent times, the salaries have gone up and several facilities have been provided. They are poor only when they compare themselves with the Joneses. Why do you want what your neighbour has? We also would like to send our kids to public schools, but if our income does not permit that, will we take bribes and set a bad example to the very child we are trying to give a better education?’’ Roy said.

According to Roy, today a government employee is in a better position to lead a decent and respectable life. “But there can be no end to ones greed,’’ he concluded.

Retired top cops like S S Jog, Satish Sawhney and Julio Rebeiro were his role models, Roy said.

mateen.hafeez@timesgroup.com

The Times of India, July 3, 2010

Dayal will look into beard row

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: A delegation of social activists on Wednesday met city police commissioner Sanjeev Dayal and complained about the ill-treatment given to a 42-year-old Muslim civil engineer who was detained near the Israeli consulate on June 28.

The victim, Mohammed Saleem, who works for a developer, had gone to the Income Tax office near Earnest House at Nariman Point when the Israeli security guards caught him. They checked his mobile phone and handed him over to the Marine Drive police. “Dayal said it was a serious issue and that he will look into the matter,’’ said Azimuddin, an activist.

The Times of India, July 1, 2010