Three men linked to Dawood Ibrahim’s gang arrested for planning to murder south Mumbai businessman

The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch on Tuesday arrested three alleged associates of gangster Fahim Machmach who were reportedly planning to

The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch on Tuesday arrested three alleged associates of gangster Fahim Machmach who were reportedly planning to murder a south Mumbai-based businessman.

AEC officers recovered two pistols and seven live cartridges from the accused. (HT Photo)

The three accused have been identified as Vinod Ramesh Gaikh, 38, a resident of Nalasopara; Fazlu Rehman Ubed ur Rehman Khan alias Mujju, 47, a native of Uttar Pradesh, and Mohammad Yusuf Abdul Qayyum Shaikh, 32, a resident of Kurla.

AEC officers recovered two pistols and seven live cartridges from the accused. The trio was produced before a local court and remanded in police custody till November 18. AEC officers said that Khan was in touch with Machmach, a member of gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s gang, and had planned to murder the businessman at the behest of the fugitive gangster who is believed to be in Pakistan.

AEC officers received specific information of the murder being planned and an inquiry was made. During the inquiry, it came to light that Gaikwad had left his house in Nalasopara and had started staying at his friend’s place in Kanjurmarg, while Khan was on his way to Mumbai from Uttar Pradesh.

Based on the information, a team of AEC officers arrested Khan from Kalyan railway station and Gaikwad from Kanjurmarg. The accused were questioned, and they named Shaikh as their accomplice. He was then arrested from Kurla.

During the interrogation, Khan told police that he knew Machmach from his youth and that he was in touch with him. He told AEC officers that as per Machmach’s directions, he had arranged for the pistol and live cartridges. He had given them to Gaikwad and was waiting for orders from Machmach to eliminate a businessman in south Mumbai. Gaikwad said that he was involved in two murder cases and police are now trying to gather information about his past cases.

“Machmach, a loyalist of Dawood Ibrahim gang and close associate of Dawood’s younger brother Anees Ibrahim, wanted to keep his hold over the extortion business in Mumbai. This is even though other gangs run by Chhota Rajan, Ravi Pujari and Ejaz Lakdawala have been permanently dismantled after Central agencies as well Mumbai Police put them and their associates behind bars,” said an AEC officer, requesting anonymity