1993 blast accused Javed Chikna behind fake currency racket: NIA

On November 17, 2021, the Thane crime branch had laid a trap and arrested Riyaz Abdul Shikilkar at Charai in Thane and seized 149 fake currency notes, with a face value of ₹2,000, from him. Later, the police arrested Nisar Chaudhary in connection with the case.

Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the racket of fake currency notes busted by Thane Crime Branch in November 2021, has claimed that the notes were circulated by Javed Patel alias Javed Chikna, one of the close aides of Dawood Ibrahim and a key accused in the 1993 serial bomb blast case, operating out of Karachi, Pakistan.

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On November 17, 2021, the Thane crime branch had laid a trap and arrested Riyaz Abdul Shikilkar at Charai in Thane and seized 149 fake currency notes, with a face value of ₹2,000, from him. Later, the police arrested Nisar Chaudhary in connection with the case.

Riyaz had allegedly told the police that he was given fake notes by a person, they referred to as ‘Uncle’, to circulate it in the Indian market and they were delivered to him through an agent. He also claimed that he was in touch with the ‘Uncle’ through WhatsApp calls and messages.

The police had claimed that Riyaz was in touch with a man in Pakistan and had saved his number as ‘Uncle’, who remained a mysterious character for the probe agency until recently.

In February 2023, the case was transferred to the NIA. After registering the case, the NIA arrested Riyaz’s brother Fayyaz earlier this month. The agency claimed that Fayyaz too was in touch with ‘Uncle’.

The agency claimed that following probe, ‘Uncle’ was identified as Chikna, with whom Fayyaz was in constant touch. However, when confronted, he claimed that it was a wrong number.

The NIA is now seeking custody of Riyaz and Chaudhary for further investigation. The agency’s plea will be heard on Monday.

Besides, the NIA has claimed that they have also found links of Riyaz and Fayyaz with murder of Shirish Bangali, former Bharuch district BJP president, and Pragnesh Mistry, general secretary of Bharuch BJP youth wing.

Bangali and Mistry were killed on November 2, 2015. The conspiracy was allegedly hatched by Chikna to avenge atrocities on Muslims in 2002 Gujarat Riots.

Said to be a close associate of fugitive Dawood Ibrahim since his childhood, Chikna is one of the key accused in the 1993 blast case. He was one of the conspirators of the blast and had even planted explosives.