Nashik arms haul: MCOCA slapped against accused’s father in extortion case

After Badshah’s arrest in the Nashik arms haul case on December 15, the extortion threat continued

Six days after the father of the main accused in Nashik arms haul case was arrested in an extortion case, the anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai police has invoked provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against him.

Weapons seized at the Agra-Mumbai highway on December 15. (HT FILE)

Badrudin Juman Badshah’s 53-year-old father Akbar Khaimatjaan was arrested last week along with two others — Salman Qureshi, 26, and Sanjay Salunkhe, 22 — for demanding money from a local businessman. On Tuesday, the three were produced before the special MCOCA court where the AEC sought their custody for 14 days.

The prosecution alleged that the accused had been demanding money from the local businessman since October. Badshah, 27, then was in jail in connection with another case and his father spent a lot of money to bail him out.

The complainant alleged that Khaimatjaan had been demanding money ever since his son was released on bail.

The businessman said the three accused came to his office on October 8, abused him and demanded money. They again went to the businessman’s office on October 11 and asked him to pay Rs5 lakh. They asked him to pay the first instalment of Rs1 lakh by October 30. The complainant submitted a written complaint with the RAK Marg police station.

After Badshah’s arrest in the Nashik arms haul case on December 15, the extortion threat continued.

The complainant said that Kaimatjaan came to him and blamed him for Badshah’s arrest. The complainant claimed that after the accused threatened to kill him, he lodged a formal complaint with the RAK Marg police in December. Along with the three accused, Badshah and two others have been booked in the case and shown as wanted accused.

Chief public prosecutor Lata Chheda said that Badshah heads the crime syndicate and has more than 25 cases registered against him.

“Kaimatjaan has around seven cases registered against him. The accused had been extorting money and has been involved in such criminal activities for long,” Chheda said.

The prosecution said Qureshi and Salunkhe are Badshah’s close associates who have committed crimes such as extortion and robbery. The police are probing if the accused had demanded and threatened other businessmen in the locality.

The special MCOCA court has remanded the three accused to police custody till January 10.