Iqbal Kaskar was watching KBC, eating biryani, when arrested

Police said they will also probe whether Dawood was directly or indirectly involved in the racket. The police are examining whether the dreaded Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) can be applied in the case.

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Iqbal was arrested along with two others for allegedly running an extortion racket since 2013. (Express Photo)

Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar, the brother of absconding underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar was watching TV show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ and eating biryani when the Thane Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) picked him up from his residence in south Mumbai late Monday night, Thane Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh said.

Iqbal was arrested along with two others for allegedly running an extortion racket since 2013. The arrests were made by former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, who took over the AEC last month. He was picked up from his late sister Haseena Parkar’s apartment in Nagpada which he was using as his home. Kaskar was on Tuesday produced before a local court which sent him to eight days police custody.

Talking about Kaskar’s arrest, Singh said that they acted on a complaint of a Thane-based builder. He also urged victims of extortion racket to help police in its investigation. “Request victims of extortion racket to come forward and cooperate with probe. We will give them full protection and take strict action against accused,” said Singh.

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“Iqbal Kaskar had demanded four flats and Rs 30 lakh as ransom from a builder. The names of some other builders and politicians have also emerged in the investigations,” Singh said.

Police said they will also probe whether Dawood was directly or indirectly involved in the racket. The police are examining whether the dreaded Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) can be applied in the case.

Singh said that Iqbal has been running the extortion racket for quite some time. “Iqbal has threatened and made extortion calls to several builders in Thane, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai”, he said.

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