3 days ago
MCOCA invoked in kidnapping of alleged drug trafficker linked to D Company
MUMBAI: The Mumbai Crime Branch has invoked stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the kidnapping case of alleged drug trafficker Sajid Electricwala, citing his captors' links to the D Company network, founded and controlled by Dawood Ibrahim. MCOCA invoked in kidnapping of alleged drug trafficker linked to D Company
According to investigators, MCOCA has been applied against ten accused, who are suspected to have worked for Anwar Shaikh — the brother of underworld fugitive Chhota Shakeel. Police allege the accused ran a synthetic drug racket manufacturing Mephedrone, popularly known as MD, under Shaikh's direction.
The case stems from a June 16 operation, when Electricwala was rescued from Banda district in Uttar Pradesh after being allegedly held captive for nearly a month. Police say he was abducted for failing to return ₹50 lakh taken from the gang and for not delivering a promised consignment of Mephedrone.
The accused — Sarwar Maqsood Khan, Yunush Tewarpal, Mehtab Ali, Santosh Waghmare, Rahul Sawant, Satish Kadu, and Taufeeque Sandy — were arrested in June. Three others, Mohammad Hussain Farid Khan, Jeetendra Thakur, and Vijay Kale, were apprehended in July. Investigators claim Khan was the key link to Anwar Shaikh, who allegedly funded the drug manufacturing operation.
Officials also revealed the gang used the encrypted messaging application Zangi to communicate. The app offers 'military-grade' encryption, does not require a phone number for registration, and leaves no saved message trail — a feature that, police say, made it nearly impossible to intercept their conversations.
'We have applied MCOCA in this case and will seek further custody of the accused under the provisions of the Act,' said a senior crime branch officer.
