The Mumbai Police's Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) has arrested businessman Riyaz Bhati, who is said to have links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, in connection with an extortion case, officials said.
The AEC nabbed Bhati on Monday from suburban Andheri and seized two mobile phones from him, they said, adding that he was wanted in the extortion case registered at Versova police station in Mumbai.
According to an official, Bhati and Mohammad Salim Iqbal Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, a relative of Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Chhota Shakeel, had allegedly threatened to kill a businessman from Versova. Bhati and Salim Fruit had allegedly extorted a car valued at Rs 30 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh cash from the businessman, he said.
After an interrogation at the AEC office, Bhati was placed under arrest on Monday, the official said.
Salim Fruit has also been named in the FIR, he said.
In the past, Bhati had been arrested in multiple cases, including extortion, land grabbing and firing. He had also tried to flee the country by using fake passports in 2015 and 2020, the official said.
Salim Fruit was earlier arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a case against 'D Company' syndicate. He is currently in judicial custody, the official added.
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