Chhota Shakeel's role emerges in murder of shipping firm owner

In a related development, police have invoked Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the accused with Shakeel shown as wanted in the case.

On September 15, Sayyed Chand Madar (56), owner of a private firm in south Mumbai, was walking towards a restaurant when he was shot at on his head from point blank range, police said, adding he succumbed to bullet injuries at the Bombay hospital here, the next day.

Six days after the killing, the crime branch arrested Congressman Mohammed Ali Abu Shaikh (48) and his four aides from the city while two sharp shooters were apprehended from Mughalsarai railway station in Uttar Pradesh.

A few days later one Shaikh Akhtar Allah Rakha was arrested from the city while another Rashid Batla was held yesterday from Mangalore in the case, taking the total number of arrests in the case to nine.

"During the probe, Shakeel's role emerged after which we have shown him as wanted accused in the case," Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Himanshu Roy told PTI.

Mohammed Ali was in contact with Shakeel to execute the murder of Madar, he said adding, "the MCOCA was invoked against the ten accused."

In order to invoke MCOCA, the police must furnish two previous chargesheets linking the accused to organised crime syndicates.

Shakeel was involved in several cases including murder and extortion in the city and his name figured in the chargesheets of theses cases, police said.

The other six accused held on September 21 were identified as Samad Ismail Shaikh (36), Majeed Abdul (32), Abdul Rehman Shah (32), Shahnawaz Anwar Shaikh (28) and sharp shooters Shahid Shah (28) and Mohammed Sageer Ansari (25).

Giving details about the crime, police said the deceased Madar, who was allegedly involved in several cases of stealing marine diesel from the high seas, had asked his associate Samad to carry out the theft in 2008.

While committing the crime, Samad had been arrested by Customs authority and was put behind the bars. Samad came out in July but Madar, who had promised him money for taking the entire blame of the theft on himself, reneged on his promise, police said.

Samad wanted to take revenge and approached the Mohammed Ali, who had contested the 2008 Lok Sabha elections from the Mumbai South constituency on BSP ticket, police said. He was in the fray against Congress candidate Milind Deora and Shiv Sena candidate Mohan Rawle, they said adding Mohammed Ali later joined the Congress.

Mohammed Ali and Madar were rivals as both were involved in smuggling marine diesel and illegal scrap material in the dock area. To settle the scores and get rid of Madar, Mohammed Ali had arranged Rs three lakh from to execute the murder.