Lakdawala and Parveen booked in 1 more case of extortion

The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch arrested gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, his associate and police informer Salim Penwala alias Salim Maharaj, and

The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch arrested gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, his associate and police informer Salim Penwala alias Salim Maharaj, and fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Tariq Parveen in a fresh extortion case on Monday, soon after the three accused were remanded in judicial custody by the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in a previous case.

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Lakdawala, Penwala, and Parveen were produced in the Esplanade court and remanded in police custody till February 26.

The three accused were arrested based on a police complaint by a real estate developer. The complainant allegedly lost ₹7.5 crore while developing two dilapidated buildings in Pydhonie area after Parveen forcefully became a partner in the business.

The builder claimed he had asked Parveen not to interfere in the business and also tried to remove him from the partnership. However, according to crime branch officers, Parveen allegedly threatened the complainant.

Salim Maharaj also used to reportedly visit the construction site with Parveen, and the AEC suspects threats and demands for extortion were made to the builder on the behalf of Ejaz Lakdawala.

Lakdawala, Penwala, and Parveen were earlier arrested by the AEC for allegedly threatening and extorting money from a dry-fruit businessman in south Mumbai.

Police said Praveen had forwarded the victim’s contact to Lakdawala who then started threatening the victim and demanded ₹2 crore from him. The businessman approached Parveen to settle the issue, following which Penwala demanded ₹10 lakh instead. The victim gave ₹3 lakh to the accused and closed his business before leaving for his native place in Gujarat.