The Mumbai crime branch on Tuesday arrested one person from the gang that attempted to extort money from renowned entrepreneur and poker player Amin Rozani. Rozani, the Managing Director of Spartan Poker, is regarded as one of the most influential personalities in the Indian Poker industry.
The arrested accused has been identified as Irfan Memon, 36.
Rozani had filed a complaint stating that he had received threatening calls from unknown numbers from Pakistan and Dubai since December 29, 2017. Initially, he did not pick up the calls as he did not recognise the number, he told the crime branch officials.
However, when he ultimately received the call, the caller told him that he was affiliated with Dawood Ibrahim’s henchman Fahim Machmach and demanded Rs50 lakh. Rozani had recorded the phone conversation from his friend’s phone.
Following this, Rozani continued to ignore the calls. The accused then sent him 10 voice notes over WhatsApp and two text messages, threatening him of “dire consequences,” said an official.
On January 30, 2018, Rozani’s guard noticed that someone was taking pictures of Rozani’s car when he was driving out from his Bandra residence. The guard informed Rozani, and this was later confirmed Rozani received the image over WhatsApp from the same number. Rozani reported this incident to the anti-extortion cell (AEC).
Following this, AEC officials launched an investigation and arrested Memon, who had taken the pictures. Memon, who has 80 criminal cases registered against him, told them that his brother was closely associated with Rozani. He claimed that he wanted to trouble his brother and make some money, claimed Memon.
{{/usCountry}}Following this, AEC officials launched an investigation and arrested Memon, who had taken the pictures. Memon, who has 80 criminal cases registered against him, told them that his brother was closely associated with Rozani. He claimed that he wanted to trouble his brother and make some money, claimed Memon.
{{/usCountry}}“We are verifying the details of the person who claimed to have allegiance to Fahim Machmach,” said a senior crime branch officer.
AEC officials suspect that the underworld gang that recently threatened and tried to extort money from a Bandra-based NGO activist could be the one threatening Rozani as well.
Meanwhile, Memon is being interrogated further to determine who else may be associated with the case.
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