NIA raids locations linked to Dawood Ibrahim in Mumbai

Among those raided are a Trustee of a prominent dargah, some sharpshooters, hawala dealers and other gangsters

In a major swoop, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday carried out multiple raids in the financial capital of Mumbai and elsewhere in the Mumbai metropolitan region in cases pertaining to criminal activities against places and people linked to Pakistan-based fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

“During the searches conducted today at premises of the suspected associates of Dawood Ibrahim, various incriminating materials including electronic devices, documents of investments in real estate, cash and firearms were seized,” the NIA said in a statement.

“The case pertains to terror/criminal activities of the international terrorist network of D-Company involving Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and his associates including Haji Anees alias Anees Ibrahim Shaikh, Shakeel Shaikh alias Chhota Shakeel, Javed Patel alias Javed Chikna and Ibrahim Mushtaq Abdul Razzaq Memon alias Tiger Memon,” the NIA said.

According to NIA, these fugitives are indulging in arms smuggling, narco-terrorism, money laundering, circulation of FICN and are in unauthorised possession/involved in the acquisition of key assets for raising terror funds and working in active collaboration with international terrorist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Al Qaeda (AQ).

According to available information, the 24 places in Mumbai and five locations in Mira Road-Bhayander in Thane district were targeted by the investigative agency.

The NIA teams were accompanied by personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The NIA picked up Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, the husband of Shakeel's sister-in-law, from his residence in the Bhendi Bazar area of south Mumbai.

Reportedly, Suhail Khandwani, Managing Trustee Mahim Dargah and Haji Ali Dargah are also being investigated by the NIA.