Mangaluru police arrest underworld don

City police have arrested fugitive don Ashgar Ali, who was involved in nine cases – including two murder cases – and had fled to Dubai using a fake passport.

According to City Commissioner of Police Sandeep Patil, the team investigating Ali’s fake passport details received credible information about the whereabouts of Ashgar Ali. Kankanady Police Inspector Jagadeesh and Sub-inspector Shyamsundar, acting on the tip-off, succeeded in arresting Ali, who had gone into hiding in Uppala in Kerala, after returning to India.

Ali will be interrogated in order to unearth details about his activities in Dubai.

Patil said that the police also arrested Nawaz and Rasheed, who had helped Ali in obtaining a fake passport. The police will probe in-depth on how many more such such fake passports were issued to anti-social elements.

Ali was involved in the murder of Polali Ananthu (2005) and in the murder of Target Group leader Illyas, said Patil.

While in Dubai, Ali had teamed up with Dawood Ibrahim and others to hatch murder conspiracies. He had also arranged a hideout for the accused men fleeing Mumbai after committing murders.

Ali was involved in many cases with sharp-shooter Rashid Malbari, a close aide of underworld don Chota Shakeel. He had made threat calls and had demanded protection money from influential persons. He was also involved in a shoot out case in Bengaluru, the commissioner added.

Drug peddler held

The city police also arrested a drug peddler under the Goonda Act. Patil the arrested youth was identified as Abdul Azeez. Five drug related cases were registered against Azeez, who sold ganja and other substances in and around Mangaluru.