Mumbai on high alert as cops turn focus back to D-Company members, Sources say recent plot suggests Pakistan is back to its old ways of using gangster network to fan terror; as they turn scanner on 400+ Dawood gang members. It all started with the arrest of Shaikh Jaan Mohd.
Mumbai has been placed on high alert, with law-enforcement agencies renewing their target former Dawood gang members, after the Delhi police busted a terror module with IB inputs. Sources said the Crime Branch has to date examined 400-500 people with D-Gang links as authorities suspect some terror outfits are attempting to launch strikes with the assistance of the underworld, rather like the ISI used Dawood Ibrahim to hold out the 1993 blasts. Terrorist organisations are believed to own paid a large amount to the underworld operating from Pakistan to hold out attacks in India.
Following the arrest of Dharavi resident Jaan Mohammed Shaikh who was on the radar of the Crime Branch radar likewise the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the Crime Branch suspects that the underworld is activating its partially dead network, particularly those that had been related to the Dawood gang 15-20 years back. Sources said the surveillance by the agencies on these people may be a little less when it involves terror activities.
“The threat has been taken very seriously and every one the units of the Crime Branch are fully activated to travel behind one and all having links with the underworld on record or people who are suspected but not having any records,” said against the law Branch officer.
“So far, 400-500 people having records of underworld links are examined and a few who are suspected to be having underworld connections also are being examined,” said the officer. One such key man, Fazl-ur-Rehman, alias Mujju, wasn't available at his home. The cops have taken his details from his family. The activation of these who were lying low for therefore a few years has surprised the Crime Branch officers as they believe that before concluding any attacks, terror outfits use similar tactics to test the reaction of agencies.
Before the 7/11 blast of 2006, the sources said, terror outfit SIMI used the same procedure a month before by planting a bomb at Byculla railroad terminal which was defused by the cops. “After the 7/11 blasts, the Mumbai Crime Branch learnt that Lashkar-e-Taiba with the bottom support of SIMI planted the bomb to test how agencies were visiting react and what were their plans. A month afterward, 7/11 passed off,” said an official who was a component of the probe into the terrorism.
This time, sources said, the plan seems to be in line with the 1993 attack. The Delhi Special Cell has said that Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Anees Ibrahim was coordinating the whole conspiracy. While it didn’t reveal if the underworld was planning on behalf of some terror organisation, Crime Branch sources said they know the in and out of the gang. They believe a terrorist organisation has drafted the D-company for the task.
Jaan Mohammed Shaikh (top, left) was arrested from Kota by the Delhi police, while the others were picked up from different locations. The sources said the threats are believed to be specific and every one the units of the Crime Branch and police are tracking the whereabouts and activities of individuals with underworld links. The ATS has also fully activated its entire network for the work. it's arrested two persons—Zakir Husain Shaikh who encompasses a criminal past and links the D-gang and one Rizwan Momin, who appears to be a fresh recruit.
Former key D-Gang men examined Fazl-ur-Rehman, alias Mujju Arrested multiple times, the most recent being in November 2020 by the Anti Extortion Cell. He had told the cops that Jaan Mohammad Shaikh was again taking orders from the underworld, prompting the police to up surveillance on Shaikh’s home. Crime branch visited Rehman’s home but didn’t find him. it's taken his details. Asif Dadhi Was arrested by Pune police in 2009 for allegedly having links with SIMI and underworld. Tinku Pandey Suspected aide of D-Gang member Salim Chiplun, who is in Pakistan. Chiplun has taken the place of Fahim Machmach after his death. Imran Hanif Kalia, alias Hanif Kalia A ex-Dawood gang member who is back on radar from Two Tanks Mumbai 8
Anwar Iqbal Mohammad Yusuf Kashmiri Was questioned at his home. The cops have also shared details of some suspects with other states as they live outside Maharashtra. Two No. of individuals arrested by ATS in past week. Two Irfan (one tooto and the other gujju) the main suspect informer of ATS staying at Nagpada one at Khandia Street and another at Surti Mohalla providing tips to the ATS crime Branch of Mumbai continuously to stay alive for their bread and butter #yusufbhandarkar
