2021 Thane fake currency case: Doctor, 2 businessmen tell NIA court ‘D-Company aide Javed Chikna’ threatened them over WhatsApp

The NIA has alleged that the accused were in contact with a Pakistan-based handler known as “Uncle”, whom the agency later identified as Chikna. Investigators have alleged that the accused acted on his instructions in a counterfeit currency racket

MUMBAI: A city doctor and two businessmen have told a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court that they received WhatsApp calls from fugitive gangster Javed Patel alias Javed Chikna, a close aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar. One of the businessmen alleged that Chikna threatened to kill him if he failed to pay money, as witnesses testified in the 2021 Thane fake currency case allegedly linked to the D-Company.

2021 Thane fake currency case: Doctor, 2 businessmen tell NIA court ‘D-Company aide Javed Chikna’ threatened them over WhatsApp

The NIA has alleged that the accused were in contact with a Pakistan-based handler known as “Uncle”, whom the agency later identified as Chikna. Investigators have alleged that the accused acted on his instructions in a counterfeit currency racket.

Dr Akhtar Amir Ansari, 61, told the court on Monday that he had known Chikna for decades as a neighbour and patient. He identified Chikna as the person who called him on WhatsApp from an international number beginning with +60, a Malaysian country code. However, investigators traced internet protocol (IP) addresses linked to the calls to Pakistan, indicating that the calls were routed from there, despite the number used.

Ansari told the court that he had escorted Chikna to Hinduja Hospital after the latter was injured in riots following the demolition of the Babri Masjid. He later treated Chikna for dressing his wounds. The defence declined to cross-examine him.

He later learnt from the Mumbai police’s Anti-Extortion Cell that a man identified as Guddu had been arrested and that the police had recovered photographs of Shaikh and his vehicle. Shaikh said NIA investigators questioned him about the Chikna case while he was in custody in another matter.

Mohammad Tehsin Shaikh, who runs a nameplate business, told the court that local shopkeepers had complained to the police about alleged extortion by Arafat Lokhandwala alias Guddu Chikna. According to Tehsin, Guddu took his phone after learning about the complaint. Subsequently, a caller identifying himself as Javed contacted him twice, asking to speak to Guddu. Tehsin said he did not know whom Guddu had called using his phone. He was not cross-examined.

Cash trail examined

The court also heard testimony about an alleged cash transaction linked to the case. Sushilkumar Mohata, who said he worked as an angadia (courier for transferring cash and valuables) for businessman Suresh Kabra, testified that Riyaz Shikilkar brought him ₹1.83 lakh at Mumbai’s Mumbadevi Safe Deposit Vault on November 15, 2021, after Kabra provided a currency-note number.

Mohata said he deposited the money in locker No. 937 and later handed it over to Kabra’s wife. However, he told the court that he did not know the purpose of the transaction or anyone named Hamid.

Vault employees corroborated that Riyaz had accompanied Mohata and that the locker had been operated. One employee, however, said he did not know what had been deposited or withdrawn and confirmed that the locker opening had not been recorded in the register. A manager testified that Riyaz had visited the vault only once, accompanied by Mohata.

The case originated on November 17, 2021, when Thane police seized 149 counterfeit ₹2,000 notes, with a face value of ₹2.98 lakh, from Riyaz at Charai. The NIA subsequently took up the case and alleged that the accused were part of a counterfeit currency operation linked to the D-Company, acting on instructions from a Pakistan-based handler identified as Chikna.

Three accused have pleaded not guilty to charges, including counterfeiting and terror-related offences.