Court sends Chota Shakeel's brother-in-law to NIA custody till August 17

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai has sent Mohammad Salim Mohammad Iqbal Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, brother-in-law of alleged D-gang member Chhota Shakeel to NIA custody till August 17. The agency had sought Salim’s custody for 15 days.

Salim is alleged to be an associate of underworld fugitive Dawood Ibrahim’s company. According to NIA, he has played an active role in extorting a huge amount of money in the name of Dawood associate Chhota Shakeel through property dealings and disputed settlements for raising terror funds in furtherance of terrorist activities of D company.

NIA had picked up Salim from his residence at Mumbai Central, Mumbai in a case relating to activities of D Company. On May 9, NIA had conducted raids at 29 locations across Mumbai. Goregaon



resident Arif Abubakar Shaikh alias Bhaijaan and his brother Shabbir Abubakar Shaikh, a resident of Mira Road area of neighbouring Thane district, were arrested on May 12.

The case against D Company, registered suo moto by NIA on February 2, pertains to terrorist and criminal activities, smuggling, narco-terrorism, money laundering, circulation of fake Indian currency notes (FICN), and unauthorised possession or acquisition of key assets for raising terror funds and working in active collaboration with international terrorist organisations including LeT, JeM and Al Qaeda by Dawood Ibrahim and his associates.

The NIA told the court that Rs 25 lakhs were recovered Chhota Shakeel and said that their investigation was progressing on a day-to-day basis. A raid was also carried out at Salim's residence on May 9.