HC allows Dawood's kin to file nomination

Court has allowed Iqbal Kaskar and Anil Gote, both held under MCOCA, to file their nominations from prison for M'rashtra polls.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday allowed underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar and incarcerated MLA Anil Gote, both held under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, to file their nominations from prison for the October 13 assembly polls in Maharashtra.

Hearing their plea, Justice Ajay Khanvilkar allowed the two to file nominations from jail and asked them to submit affidavits before the prison superintendent.

Kaskar, lodged in central prison in a case of alleged extortion, urged for permission to file nomination from Umerkhedi and Nagpada constituencies in South Mumbai while Gote, housed in Pune's Yerwada prison in the fake stamp paper case, said he would file his nomination from Dhule.

Earlier in the day, a special court rejected Iqbal's petition seeking police protection to file nominations from Umerkhadi and Nagpada constituencies.

Prosecutor Rohini Salian opposed Iqbal's plea in the special court saying there was threat to his life from rival gangs. She also expressed fear that Iqbal may escape from police custody if he was released to file nominations.

Observing that the petition was not maintainable, the designated Judge AP Bhangale disallowed police protection on the ground that the accused was brother of a fugitive who was wanted in 1993 blasts and that he had underworld connections.

Iqbal moved the High Court which observed that there was no need for him to go personally to file nomination and that he could do so from the prison through the jail superintendent.