Close aide of gangster Chhota Rajan arrested by Thane cops

Thane Crime Branch property cell nabbed Billal Mustafa Sayyed, a gang member of gangster Chhota Rajan and who was arrested in 2011 and had jumped parole from Nagpur jail

The Thane Crime Branch property cell nabbed Billal Mustafa Sayyed on Friday, a gang member of gangster Chhota Rajan and who was arrested in 2011 and had jumped parole from Nagpur jail. He was awarded life imprisonment for killing Iqbal Kaskar’s bodyguard.

Thane Crime Branch Property Cell officials after having arrested Billal Mustafa Sayyed (squatting), a close aide of gangster Chhota Rajan. (PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO)

In 2011, Arif Sayed alias Baeel was shot dead on the ground floor of Kaskar’s residence at Pakmodia street of South Mumbai. According to officials, Chhota Rajan had told his subordinate DK Rao openly to kill Baeel entering Dawood’s area in Nagpada.

Since then, seven persons have been arrested in the case so far. In the same case, Sayyed alias Mustafa Sayyed, a close aide of Chhota Rajan, was arrested and court awarded him life imprisonment in the case. He was in Nagpur jail as the main accused in the case. During the pandemic, when he was out on parole, he didn’t return and jumped the parole. Since then he was on the radar of the police officials.

Thane property cell Police Naik Kishor Bhamre got information that he was hiding somewhere near Mumbra. The accused is now handed over to the Mumbra police station.

Bhamre said, “A case was registered against him in Mumbai Nagpada police station two months ago. We received this information and came to know about his activities in Thane. He was planning to leave for Nepal when we caught him.”