Dawood aide held for facilitating Lakdawala's extortion syndicate

Tariq Parveen. File pic

The Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested 53-year-old Tariq Parveen, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, in connection with gangster Ejaz Lakdawala's extortion syndicate. The AEC has also registered a fresh case against Lakdawala for allegedly threatening a South Mumbai-based businessman since 2013, and have mentioned the names of Parveen, top police informer Saleem Maharaj and another arrested accused in the FIR for facilitating the extortion racket and providing information to the gangster.

According to the Crime Branch, Parveen, who was closely associated with Dawood and Chhota Shakeel, was also working for Lakdawala's extortion syndicate. Confirming his arrest, Joint Commissioner of Crime Branch, Santosh Rastogi, said, "During the investigation some crucial information and evidence against Parveen surfaced, based on which the FIR was registered and he was arrested."

According to Crime Branch sources, Parveen and Maharaj facilitated the extortion racket by providing details of businessmen and builders to Lakdawala. "After getting calls from the gangster, the complainants would meet Parveen and Maharaj for a settlement. The duo would then pass on the information to the gangster," an officer said.

In 2013-14, the gangster made a '2 crore ransom call to a South Mumbai-based businessmen, who then reached out to Parveen and Maharaj. The duo then assured him of a settlement with the gangster. "Parveen took '3 lakh from the businessman for a settlement. Even after the complainant paid the money, the gangster kept threatening him for more. Then again he paid both the accused some more money," the officer added.

Earlier the Thane Anti-Extortion Cell had arrested Parveen in 2018 for murdering a 20- year-old Mumbra-based cable operator.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates