Lakdawala financier held

Jafar Isaak Madwala, 55, an alleged aide of underworld gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, was arrested from Jogeshwari on Saturday for allegedly financing three of the gangster’s shooters, who shot at a real estate broker in South Mumbai. Jafar, crime branch officials said, has been actively helping Ejaz Lakdawala since at least seven years.

Jafar Isaak Madwala, 55, an alleged aide of underworld gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, was arrested from Jogeshwari on Saturday for allegedly financing three of the gangster’s shooters, who shot at a real estate broker in South Mumbai. Jafar, crime branch officials said, has been actively helping Ejaz Lakdawala since at least seven years.

HT Image

In October, real estate broker Sohail Abdul Majid Khan, said to be close to Chhota Shakeel, was shot at in Kamathipura by two motorcycle-borne persons.

According to the police, Sohail used to provide tiffin boxes to Shakeel’s gang members lodged at Arthur Road jail in 2004 and 2005. Interrogation of three Lakdawala aides held by the crime branch in October led them to Jafar.

Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police (crime) said, “It is not the first time that Jafar has been arrested for aiding Lakdawala. In 2004, late Vijay Salaskar had arrested him in a case of extortion.”