10 March,2011 06:45 AM IST | | J Dey
In a historic win, two advocates trounce Dawood Ibrahim in a 10-year legal battle over his Tardeo estate auctioned in 2001; court orders his sister to vacate the property
In a long-drawn-out battle against India's most wanted gangster, two advocates yesterday accomplished what no one has so far a legal triumph over a prime property in the city belonging to Dawood Ibrahim.
Viral Shukla
A Court of Small Cases has ruled in favour of the advocates, Ajay Shrivastav and Viral Shukla, who had been contesting the claim to Dawood's Industrial Gala 22/23, Shed No 1, Tardeo.
Shrivastav, who bought the property in a 2001 Income Tax auction, had since been fighting Dawood's lawyers to stake his claim on it.
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That is, until yesterday, when the Court ordered Hasina Parkar, Dawood's sibling who had been living on the premises, to vacate it within three months.
"It was a battle against India's most wanted terrorist, Dawood Ibrahim. I had faith in the judicial system and my conscience told me I would win the case.
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It is not the value of the property I am interested in. I am happy. I was on the right side of the law," said Shrivastava, who is based out of New Delhi.
Scary auction
At the auction for the property on June 14, 2001, Shrivastav was the only bidder as nobody else dared to fall foul of the bhai and his cronies. In fact, the scene during the auction at a three-star hotel in Colaba was very telling of the fear the don inspired among prospective bidders.
No one turned up for the auction. The hall only had a handful of I-T officials and journalists, the auctioneer himself, and Shrivastav. The property was valued around Rs 22 lakh at that time.
Dawood's lawyers objected to the auction and the matter was contested in the court.
His sister Hasina, in the meantime, claimed that she was a tenant on the premises and hired lawyers herself to foil the bid.
Shrivastava told this reporter that he found it difficult to fight the case as he was based in New Delhi.
It was when Mumbai-based Advocate Viral Shukla joined him in the fight against the underworld don in 2004 that things seemed to get better.
Symbolic win
"More than anything, the win is symbolic. It was actually a fight against an organised syndicate headed by Dawood," said Shukla, adding that it was not a straightforward fight there was constant pressure to back out, subtle threats and the works.
Indeed, matters came to a head when the case against Dawood was dismissed on April 17, 2009. "We had to start all over again appealing before the magistrate," he recalled. In fact, according to him, at least nine magistrates were transferred before a verdict was issued in the case.
Losing hold?
While the two advocates slugged it out in the court, doing what few would dare, few expected the outcome to be what it has been. In fact, sources revealed that nobody in the don's fiefdom expected him to hand over one of his prized properties.
For the don, the property may not mean much in terms of moolah, but its loss will corrode his rigid reputation in the area. He has lost a property for the first time.
First loss
For the don, the property may not mean much in terms of moolah, but its loss will corrode his reputation in
the area. He has lost a property for the first time
Rs 22 lakh
Value of the property in 2001
