Mumbai: A Sessions Court in Maharashtra capital Mumbai on Wednesday deferred the hearing in the case related to the gang war between underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his arch-rival Arun Gawli to October 31. The court posted the matter to the end of this month while allowing the prosecution to produce the witness against underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
The prosecution argued that the testimony given by the witness in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case should be considered in this case as well. Accepting the request of the government lawyers in this regard, the court adjourned the hearing till October 31. The prosecution will examine the testimony of a total of 10 witnesses in this case.
The case dates back to 1992 when underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's henchmen killed a hostage of Arun Bawli at the JJ Hospital. The killing was in retaliation to the killing of Ibrahim Parker, husband of Hasina Parker, Dawood's sister. Dawood Ibrahim gang member Yasin Mansoor Mohammad Farooq alias Farooq Takala is acused in the killing of Gawli's hostage.
Farooq Takala was arrested in 2018 in the case. He was extradited from Dubai and is currently lodged in Arthur Road Jail. There are total 77 witnesses in this case and 10 witnesses are likely to be produced by the government against Farooq Takla. All the other accused in the shootout case have already been convicted and the Supreme Court has also sealed their convictions.
Also read: NIA announces Rs 25 lakh reward on Dawood Ibrahim
In May this year, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's nephew Alishah Parkar informed the Enforcement Directorate that the don is currently living in Karachi, as mentioned in the latest charge sheet filed by the ED in connection with the money laundering case against Ibrahim. Alishah, the son of Haseena Parkar, has also said that he wasn't in touch with Dawood.
The ED charge sheet further claims that Dawood's wife Mehajabin used to contact the Parkar family during festivals like Eid. Alishah was grilled by the ED earlier in February. His statement has been furnished along with the charge sheet as a part of the proof. The ED recently filed the charge sheet in a Mumbai court in the matter.
This is the same case in which NCP leader Nawab Malik is also facing prosecution. The ED initiated a money-laundering investigation against Dawood Ibrahim and others on the basis of an FIR registered by the NIA on February 3, 2022, under section 120B of IPC, read with sections 17, 18, 20,21,38 and 40 of UAPA.
Dawood Ibrahim, Haji Anees alias Anees Ibrahim Shaikh, Shakeel Shaikh alias Chhota Shakeel, Javed Patel alias Javed Chikna, Ibrahim Mushtaq Abdul Razzaq Memon alias Tiger Memon were named as accused. The FIR also stated that Dawood Ibrahim, after leaving India, started controlling his criminal activities in India through his close associates such as Haseena Parkar alias Haseena Aapa and others.
