Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis. (File Photo)
Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavison Monday rushed to the defense of his cabinet colleague Girish Mahajan, who was accused of having attended the wedding of a member of Dawood Ibrahim’s Kaskar clan.
While Fadnavis on the floor of the house made a statement that the family whose wedding Mahajan attended in 2017 had no connections with Dawood Ibrahim, members of the Kokni family have, however, acknowledged their relationship with the Kaskar clan in the past.
The NCP on Monday hit back at the state government with the former’s MLC Eknath Khadse alleging that Rural Development minister Girish Mahajan had in 2017 attended the wedding of a known Dawood Ibrahim relative. The said wedding was of the nephew of Hisamuddin Khatib – who is the “Sheher-e Khatib”, which is a religious post in Nashik – and Zakki Kokni’s daughter. Kokni is a known businessman and related to Dawood Ibrahim’s younger brother Iqbal Kaskar through marriage.
“The wedding of the nephew of a Muslim cleric in Nashik called ‘Shehrekhatib’ was attended by Girish Mahajan along with other party leaders and officials. The shehrakhatib has no relation with Dawood. The family of the girl he married also has no connection with Dawood.” Fadnavis said.
Interestingly though, the Kokni family, whose wedding Mahajan had attended, has always acknowledged its relations with the Kaskar family.
“Iqbal Kaskar’s wife and my wife are sisters and there is no other relation with us. Our connections with the Kaskar family are limited to either weddings or deaths in the family and we meet once or twice a year,” Zakki Kokni, the father of the bride, had told The Indian Express in May 2017.
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Soon after the 2017 wedding Dawood Ibrahim’s younger brother Iqbal Kaskar was picked up by Thane anti-extortion cell in a case of extortion in September 2017 and is still lodged in jail.
A similar outcry had broken out in 2017 soon after the wedding when the opposition had sought Mahajan’s removal for attending the wedding. Apart from Mahajan, a number of politicians and policemen had attended the wedding. In his defence, Mahajan had said he was unaware of the fact that the bride’s family was linked to the gangster.
“I went there on the invitation of Muslim community leader Shahar A Khateeb, who is a well respected religious leader in Nashik.” The groom happened to be Khateeb’s nephew. “He has contributed a lot to social activities in the region and that’s how I came to know him,” Mahajan said. Fadnavis had said he would seek a police report on the issue.
On Monday Fadnavis gave a clean chit to Mahajan.
“There is no case against the Shahr-e-Khatib for having relations with Dawood. However, after the allegations were made, I appointed an inquiry committee under a DCP. The report submitted clearly stated that the Shahr-e-Khatib has no connections with Dawood,” Fadnavis said on Monday.
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Mahajan claimed that allegations made by Khadse were out of spite. Both of them hail from Jalgaon district. While Mahajan’s early political career grew under the shadow of Khadse the two subsequently had a fall out. The tussle between them accentuated further after Eknath Khadse, was dropped from the Fadnavis cabinet over graft allegations in 2016 and subsequently had to quit the BJP.
“It was the wedding of a family member of a religious figure in Nashik. A lot of politicians across political lines were present for the wedding. It is being said that some of the relatives were associated with Dawood. A subsequent inquiry that was set up stated that the family had no connections with Dawood. The allegations made by Khadse are due to spite and jealousy,” Mahajan had said then. Fadnavis had in 2017 said he would seek a police report on the issue.
Zeeshan Shaikh is the Associate Editor who heads The Indian Express' Mumbai reporting team. He is recognized for his highly specialized Expertise in analyzing the complex dynamics of Maharashtra politics and critical minority issues, providing in-depth, nuanced, and Trustworthy reports.
Expertise
Senior Editorial Role: As an Associate Editor leading the Mumbai reporting team, Zeeshan Shaikh holds a position of significant Authority and journalistic responsibility at a leading national newspaper.
Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on two interconnected, high-impact areas:
Maharashtra Politics & Urban Power Structures: Provides deep-dive analyses into political strategies, municipal elections (e.g., BMC polls), the history of alliances (e.g., Shiv Sena's shifting partners), and the changing demographics that influence civic power in Mumbai.
Minority Issues and Socio-Political Trends: Excels in coverage of the Muslim community's representation in power, demographic shifts, socio-economic challenges, and the historical context of sensitive political and cultural issues (e.g., the 'Vande Mataram' debate's roots in the BMC).
Investigative Depth: His articles frequently delve into the historical roots and contemporary consequences of major events, ranging from the rise of extremist groups in specific villages (e.g., Borivali-Padgha) to the long-term collapse of established political parties (e.g., Congress in Mumbai).
Trustworthiness & Credibility
Data-Driven Analysis: Zeeshan's work often incorporates empirical data, such as National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics on arrests and convictions of minorities, or data on asset growth of politicians, grounding his reports in factual evidence.
Focus on Hinterland Issues: While based in Mumbai, he maintains a wide lens, covering issues affecting the state's hinterlands, including water crises, infrastructure delays, and the plight of marginalized communities (e.g., manual scavengers).
Institutional Affiliation: His senior position at The Indian Express—a publication known for its tradition of rigorous political and investigative journalism—underscores the high level of editorial vetting and Trustworthiness of his reports.
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