WHAT LED the Special Task Force (STF) sleuths to make tall claims about criminal antecedents of the six gangsters arrested on Wednesday.
The cops referred names of three underworld dons—-Abu Salem, Chhota Rajan and Eizaz Lakadwala claiming that the criminals were working for the trio.
The Mumbai crime branch sleuths, however, defied STF statement saying that none were connected to the jailed don Abu Salem. Inspector JK Kale accompanied by a constable from Mumbai crime branch had arrived here to collect information about the arrested gangsters on Thursday. The cops later left for their place without visiting the gangsters in Lucknow district jail.
Talking to HT Lucknow Live on telephone, DCP Crime branch Dhananjay Kamlakar confirmed that they were scrutinizing the records to see if there was any case pending against one of the arrested gangsters Rajesh Kamble alias Bhau of Kajur Road, Mumbai. Kamlakar said that Kamble though had executed contract killings in Mumbai till about 7 years back his movement or any activity in Lucknow was not traced since then.
Kamlakar further said that the information so far revealed that Kamble was not wanted in any case from Mumbai but the crime branch cops were going through the police records to corroborate the same. On the contrary, the STF sleuths had stated that Kamble was wanted in over half-a-dozen cases of contract killings in different parts of Mumbai. Kamlakar also denied if Kamble was ever attached to Abu Salem. The STF team, however, had said Kamble was engaged in killings for Salem, Rajan and Eizaz since 1993. The UP cops also had referred cases of high-profile killings including that of a Muslim League MLA Ziauddin Bukhari in 1993.
{{/usCountry}}Kamlakar further said that the information so far revealed that Kamble was not wanted in any case from Mumbai but the crime branch cops were going through the police records to corroborate the same. On the contrary, the STF sleuths had stated that Kamble was wanted in over half-a-dozen cases of contract killings in different parts of Mumbai. Kamlakar also denied if Kamble was ever attached to Abu Salem. The STF team, however, had said Kamble was engaged in killings for Salem, Rajan and Eizaz since 1993. The UP cops also had referred cases of high-profile killings including that of a Muslim League MLA Ziauddin Bukhari in 1993.
{{/usCountry}}When asked about rest of the arrested accused Kamlakar said there were no specific records were available about others. The STF had nabbed Vishal alias Rohit of Muzaffar Nagar, Nabi Ahmed alias Bhaiyu of Behraich, Chand Mohammad of Santa Cruz, Mumbai, Taj Kumar Pandey of Shrawasti and Raees Ahmed alis Uzmi of Thakurganj, Lucknow besides Kamble.
The STF sleuths had claimed the gangsters used to execute crime incidents in Mumbai at the behest of underworld dons and were using Lucknow and Bahraich as their hideouts. Eizaz had planned to bump off a city hotelier soon by the hands of these hitmen only, the cops had claimed.
However, the revelation made by Mumbai crime branch raised question over authenticity of UP’s elite police agency.