NIA raids locations linked to Dawood associates, hawala operators in Mumbai

MUMBAI: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted raids at around 20 locations in Mumbai and adjoining areas in a case it has registered against Pakistan-based gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his close associates.

NIA officials said that raids are under way at 'multiple locations' in Mumbai Metropolitan area. Some of the premises are reportedly situated at Sanata Cruz, Nagapada, Parel and Malad.

The central probe agency has also detained Salim Fruit, a close associate of Dawood, following a raid at his residence in Mumbai. NIA sleuths have also recovered some important documents during the raid.

Salim Fruit in NIA custody
Earlier, the NIA had registered a case under criminal conspiracy and UAPA sections against Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar alias Dawood Bhai, his brother Haji Anees alias Anees Ibrahim Shaikh, Shakeel Shaikh alias Chhota Shakeel, Javed Patel alias Javed Chikna, Ibrahim Mushtaq Abdul Razzaq Memon alias Tiger Memon among others.

The probe agency alleged that Dawood, after he left India, started controlling his criminal activities here through his close associates, relatives. Dawood and Tiger Memon are key accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast case.

Based on the NIA case and other extortion case registered by the Thane police, Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered a money laundering case against them. In the case, the ED had questioned several close relative of Dawood and Chhota Shakeel to get details of their gang’s activities in India.