Court acquits Dawood's nephew, two others in 2019 extortion case

Mumbai: A special court here on Friday acquitted fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim's nephew and two others who were booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a 2019 extortion case.

Special judge B D Shelke acquitted the gangster's nephew Mohammed Rizwan Shaikh Ibrahim (Kaskar), Ahmedraja Vadhariya and Ashfaq Towelwala of charges under sections 387 (putting persons in fear of death or of grievous hurt to commit extortion), 120 (criminal conspiracy) and relevant provisions of the MCOCA.

A case was registered against the trio in 2019 for allegedly threatening a builder.

The builder, who also had a business importing electronic goods, had alleged that his business partner owed him Rs 15 lakh and in June 2019, he received an international call made on behalf of gangster Chhota Shakeel through gang member Fahim Machmach not to insist on the payment.

The prosecution argued that sufficient material was found against all the accused, particularly, the phone call recording and CDRs.

Towelwala had also made a confessional statement disclosing the crime he had committed with the remaining accused, it stated.

According to the prosecution, Dawood's nephew Rizwan and the other accused, who were under his influence, threatened the builder to forgo the dues.

Shakeel and Machmach are shown as wanted accused in the case, and the court has directed the police to file a separate charge sheet against them.

The prosecution examined 23 witnesses during the trial and presented electronic evidence before the court.