With a view to expose terror links of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at 29 places, including Nagpada, Mumbra, Goregaon, Mahim, Santacruz, Bhendi Bazar and Grant Road, since morning till late night on Monday.
Gangster Chhota Shakeel’s relative Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, alleged hawala operator Abdul Qayyum, alleged bookie – turned – builder Ajay Ghosaliya alise Ajay Ganda, beef exporter Fareed Qureshi and Sohail Khandwani were detained for interrogation after the searches. Of these, Sohail Khandwani was stated to be an accomplice of Yakub Memon. Yakub memon was the brother of March 12, 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts’ chief accused Tiger Memon. Eventually Yakub Memon was hanged in 2015.
According to sources, the NIA had seized Rs 44 lakh from Sohail Khandwani in November 1995. In addition the NIA had also seized Rs 60 lakh given to Khandwani by the then Goa Industries Minister.
Khandwani’s alleged links with the underworld are quite known. Khandwani and others were felicitated by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on November 27, 2021 in a program organised at Raj Bhavan.
Ulhas Munagekar, illegally holding the position of Governor’s secretary for a long time, had given permission for this program after accepting a “packet”. This incident proved that with palm greasing anyone including a cheat, a goonda and those connected with the underworld can seek easy entry into the Raj Bhavan.
The Special Investigating Team of Sprouts has been unearthing such a scam for a long time. But Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari seems to be shielding such irregular activities.