Latest news with #Kaskar
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
PMLA court grants bail to aide of Dawood's brother
MUMBAI: A special court constituted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has granted bail to Israd Sayyed, an aide of Iqbal Kaskar, the younger brother of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, in connection with a money laundering case. Munbai : File photo of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar who was arrested on Monday night by the crime branch of the Thane Police in connection with an investigation into an extortion case. PTI Photo (PTI9_19_2017_000047B) (PTI) The ED had accused Kaskar and his aides, Israd Sayyed and Mumtaz Shaikh, of being the masterminds behind extortion of money and property from builders, and of being knowingly indulging in laundering of proceeds of crime to the tune of ₹ 78.63 lakh. The extortion complaint had alleged that in 2017, Kaskar and his associates extorted ₹ 30 lakh in cash and a flat worth ₹ 60 lakh in the Neopolis building in Thane from local builder Suresh Jain. Kaskar and his aides allegedly threatened the builder using Dawood's name and took the flat in the name of Mumtaz Ejaj Shaikh alias Raju, a close associate of Iqbal. The builder had filed an FIR at the Kasarvadavali police station, claiming that Kaskar's associates made repeated visits and continued to pressurise him. Based on the FIR, the ED initiated a money laundering investigation on September 26, 2017, and filed a chargesheet in 2022. Sayyed's advocate submitted that he is innocent and has committed no crime. The defence stated that he was acquitted under the original MCOCA case based on which the ED case was registered. Relying on the ground of parity, the defence argued that Kaskar has already been granted bail by the high court in the same case. The prosecution argued that Sayyed cannot avail the ground of parity as he threatened Mehta and extorted one flat and ₹ 20 lakhs from him. The court observed that the role of Sayyed is similar to that of Kaskar, who was released on bail by the high court. The court said that Sayyed is also acquitted in the MCOCA case, which is the predicate offence. The special sessions judge, Mahesh K Jadhav, in an order passed on June 16, said, 'The applicant is also in jail for a long time,' and held that Sayyed is entitled to be released on bail on the grounds of parity.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Mhaji Bus scheme to ease rivalry between pvt & KTC buses'
Panaji: The state-wide roll out of the Mhaji Bus scheme has the potential to reduce the competition between private bus operators and Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) buses, said KTCL managing director Rohan Kaskar. With just over 800 private buses operating on intra-state routes in Goa, Kaskar said that govt hopes to bring most of these buses under the scheme. 'Currently, the routes overlap, and there is competition and a distinction between private and KTC buses. Commuters with a monthly pass can board any bus. In this way, when there is a clash between private buses and KTCL buses , we can reschedule the timings and deploy a bus on a different route or at a different time when a bus is not available,' said Kaskar. He said that fear among the private bus operators was unfounded, as the incentives offered to them are attractive. KTCL is offering a revenue of Rs 3 per km to private bus operators, along with subsidies on comprehensive insurance and scrapping of the vehicle after 15 years of operations. KTCL is also offering 50% of the advertising revenue earned from each private bus to be shared with the respective bus owner. 'The earlier scheme was a pilot scheme available only for three routes. We operated 57 buses under the pilot scheme. It was introduced to understand the scheme before it was rolled out more extensively. We learned from the pilot scheme and developed the new scheme. The new scheme is for all of Goa,' said Kaskar.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
HC paves Iqbal Kaskar's release from jail, grants him bail in 2017 extortion case
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Iqbal Kaskar, brother of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The case stemmed from a 2017 extortion complaint, and the High Court's order effectively clears the path for Kaskar's release, as it was the last pending matter keeping him behind bars. A special MCOCA court had acquitted Kaskar on April 26 in the original extortion case, which formed the predicate offence for the ED's probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The extortion complaint had alleged that in 2017, Kaskar and his associates extorted ₹30 lakh in cash and a flat worth ₹60 lakh in the Neopolis building in Thane from local builder Suresh Jain. Jain, who ran Darshan Enterprises and Sai Uma Corporation, had signed a development agreement in 2013 with Bharati Bhosale and others to construct a housing project on their Waghbil land in Thane. According to advocate Tabish Mooman, who appeared for Kaskar, Jain allegedly failed to compensate Bhosale as promised—either in cash or through a flat. Following the dispute, Bhosale's son and two of Kaskar's alleged aides—Israr and Mumtaz—approached Jain seeking compensation. Jain later alleged that Kaskar personally called him, demanded money and four flats, and issued threats to his life. Jain filed an FIR at the Kasarvadavali police station, claiming that Kaskar's associates made repeated visits and continued to pressurise him. Out of fear, he said, he registered flats in the names of Bhosale and Shaikh, and transferred ₹90 lakh to Shaikh in instalments. Based on the FIR, the ED initiated a money laundering investigation on September 26, 2017, and filed a chargesheet in 2022. Kaskar was arrested on February 18 that year. In June 2023, the ED sought transfer of the MCOCA trial to the Mumbai sessions court, where the money laundering case was being heard. The Thane special court allowed the transfer. Citing the slow pace of trial, Mooman later filed a bail application, noting that no witnesses had been examined in court so far. He argued that since the alleged laundering amount was below ₹1 crore, the offence was bailable under Section 45 of the PMLA. However, the special court rejected the plea on June 26, 2024. Kaskar then moved the Bombay High Court, maintaining he was falsely implicated and had already spent three years in custody for an offence carrying a minimum sentence of three years. His petition also contended that continued incarceration violated his fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution. Mooman further argued that the ED had failed to produce any evidence linking Kaskar to the extorted cash or flats, nor was there any proof connecting him to the alleged conspiracy. Taking note of these arguments, Justice Milind Jadhav observed that the prosecution had failed to establish Kaskar's guilt in the MCOCA trial, and accordingly, granted him bail. 'When the prosecution fails to prove the accused's guilt in the predicate offence, the accused should be granted bail in the PMLA offence,' the court ruled.
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
MCOCA court acquits Iqbal Kaskar, three others in ₹90L extortion case
MUMBAI: A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Friday acquitted Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar, the younger brother of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, and three others arrested for extorting ₹90 lakh from a Thane-based builder. Kaskar, however, will not step out of jail, as he continues to be incarcerated in a money-laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him for the same crime. Special judge BD Shelke pronounced only the operative part of the order on Friday, acquitting the four -- Kaskar, Israr Jamil Ali Sayyed, Mumtaz Ejaz Shaikh, and Pankaj Gangar. A detailed order has not yet been made available. The case was based on a complaint filed with the police by builder Suresh Devichand Jain who, along with his partners, ran Darshan Enterprises and Sai Uma Corporation, a construction and properties business. In 2013, Jain signed an agreement with a certain Bharati Bhosale and several others who owned a plot in Waghbil, Thane, to set up a development project there. Advocate Tabish Mooman, representing Kaskar, said Jain allegedly did not pay Bhosale's part of share or the promised flat in lieu of the land. Following this, Bhosale's son and Mumtaz approached Jain, seeking compensation. In May 2015, Shaikh and Bhosale's son approached Jain claiming Bhosale had not received her share, but Jain refuted this. A week later, Shaikh and Sayyed approached Jain and said they were Kaskar's aides and demanded he settle Bhosale's share. Following this, Kaskar allegedly spoke on the phone with Jain, demanding the same and an additional four flats and ₹30 lakh, and threatened to kill him if he failed to comply. In his complaint, Jain alleged Kaskar's aides continued to visit him over many weeks, with the same demand. Frightened by perpetual threats, Jain said he registered a flat in Neopolis, Kavesar, in Shaikh's name, and another flat in Bhosle's name. He also claimed he transferred ₹90 lakh in instalments to Shaikh. In June 2017, after Jain alleged that Kaskar's men threatened him again, he approached the police. The police invoked provisions of MCOCA in the case based on Kaskar's previous offences of extorting builders. The four were arrested in 2017, and Shaikh passed away in jail. Advocate Mooman argued that the flats and the cheques were given to Shaikh and not to the actual Kaskar. Kaskar has never met Suresh Jain. 'Neither Suresh Jain nor Bharati Bhosale have ever met Kaskar. A random person claimed to be Kaskar. Iqbal Kaskar's personal phone number is not shown anywhere,' he said. In 2022, the ED registered a case against the four accused for extorting Jain. Mooman said he has applied for bail before the special PMLA court for the case registered by ED against Kaskar. According to Mooman, the Thane police have registered two cases against Kaskar in 2017. Apart from Jain, he has allegedly extorted another builder, Radheshyam Agarwal, for which a special MCOCA court in Thane acquitted him in June 2024 after the witnesses, including the complainant, refused to align with their statements given to the police.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Iqbal Kaskar acquitted of extorting Rs 90 lakh from builder
Mumbai: A special MCOCA court on Friday acquitted Iqbal Kaskar, the brother of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, in a case where he was alleged to have extorted Rs 90 lakh and grabbed flats from a Thane builder. The court cited a lack of conclusive evidence to link Kaskar directly to the alleged crime. A related money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will continue against Kaskar for now. The extortion case was the predicate, or scheduled, offence on which the ED based its money laundering case. The Supreme Court, in a July 27, 2022, ruling held that when there is no predicate or scheduled offence, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act case cannot continue. On the basis of the Supreme Court ruling, Kaskar might move a plea seeking discontinuation of the ED case. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo On Friday, in addition to Kaskar, two others, Israr Sayyed and Pankaj Gangar, were acquitted. A fourth accused, Mumtaz Shaikh, died during the pendency of the trial, and the case against him was abated. While Kaskar and Sayyed were in jail, Gangar was out on bail. A detailed judgement copy is yet to be made available. The complainant, along with his partners, operates a construction and properties business. In his deposition, he said that in 2012-13, he acquired land at Kavesar in Waghbil, Thane, for development. Among the legal heirs was Gurunath Bhosale. He said that he made the entire payment by cheque. The witness further stated that in May 2015, while he was at the site, Shaikh arrived with Bhosale. He said that he knew Shaikh as an agent. He was informed that another heir, Bharati Bhosale, had not received her share of the land, questioning the matter. The witness said that he told them the amount was paid. It was alleged that over a week later, Shaikh returned to the site with an unknown person, who was introduced as Israr Sayyed. The witness said that Sayyed told him he was associated with Kaskar. He made him speak to someone on the phone who introduced himself as Kaskar, Dawood's brother, and said that Sayyed and Shaikh were his men. He stated that he entered into an agreement with Bharati Bhosale concerning her share of the land. The witness said that he was instructed to settle the matter according to his terms, threatening that his men would kill him if he failed to do so. Both of them then left. Fearing for his life, he did not disclose the incident to anyone. The witness submitted that the harassment continued for several days, and the man claiming to be Kaskar once again spoke to him over the phone and asked him to part with four flats at the site and Rs 30 lakh. Afraid for his life, in agreement with his partners, the witness said that he executed a registered sale agreement for a flat in favour of the alleged legal heirs. Following that, he executed a registered sale agreement for one flat in the name of Shaikh. The witness said that he sold the remaining two flats, and Rs 60 lakh was given to Sayyed, in instalments to be passed on to Kaskar. He also allegedly paid Rs 30 lakh in cash over time. The witness said that after the two accused, Sayyed and Shaikh, came to him again in June 2017, and once again threatened him with dire consequences if further demands were not met. The witness said that he then contacted the Anti-Extortion Cell, who advised him to file a complaint at the Kasarvadvali police station. The witness identified the two accused who came to him.
