Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken possession of a flat in Thane, linked to a money laundering case involving fugitive underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s brother, Iqbal Kaskar, and his associates. The flat, located in Neopolis Tower, Kavesar, was under provisional attachment since April 2022.
About The Case
The investigation traces back to an initial complaint of extortion filed at Kasarvadavali police station in 2017, which was later handled by the Thane Anti-Extortion Cell. It was discovered that Kaskar, alongside his associates Mumtaz Shaikh and Israr Ali Jamil, leveraged their connections to extort both property and cash from Suresh Mehta, a real estate developer, leveraging their proximity to Dawood Ibrahim. This flat, valued at around Rs 75 lakh, was coercively transferred under Shaikh's name, while additional cash amounting to Rs 10 lakh was extorted through deceitful means involving fraudulent cheques.
The ED initiated a money laundering probe based on two FIRs: one filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Dawood Ibrahim, Anees Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel, Tiger Memon, and others, and another extortion case filed against Iqbal Kaskar and his associates.
The ED unearthed a web of transactions aimed at concealing the true recipients of these illicit gains. Kaskar was questioned in February 2022 by ED officials regarding his role in managing Dawood's criminal enterprises in India. Subsequent searches at the homes of the accused led to the filing of a charge sheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by April 2022, bolstered by evidence from Thane police reports which highlighted breaches of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code related to extortion and conspiracy.
Who Is Iqbal Kaskar?
Iqbal Kaskar, who returned to India after his deportation from the UAE in 2003, is believed to have been a key figure in maintaining Dawood Ibrahim's influence over criminal activities in India. Dawood, reportedly based in Karachi, is thought to have ties with international terrorist groups and intelligence entities, further complicating the legal and security implications of this case.
