mumbai

Updated: Oct 05, 2017 01:57 IST

In 2016, the Bhayandar-based builder, who is the complainant in the extortion case against Dawood and his two brothers Anees, Iqbal (and three more), received a call from an unknown number.

“Main underworld don Dawood Ibrahim ka bhai, Anees Ibrahim bol raha hoon (This is Anees Ibrahim, brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim).” The tough voice and the mention of Dawood’s name sent chills down the builder’s spine…. “Tu ne Michael [name changed] se jo zamin Ilya hai uska picha chod do ( Forget about the land you had taken from Michael…)”.

The first Information report (FIR) in the alleged extortion case – over a land deal at Gorai -- for which the Thane police have booked fugitive underworld kingpin Dawood Ibrahim and his brothers, details the threats apparently issued by the Kaskar brothers to force the developer to give in to their demands for Rs3 crore.

The Thane Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Crime, Abhishek Trimukhe, said, “Though we have registered the case, It is difficult to trace the call details or the caller’ s identity.”

According to the FIR, the Kaskar brothers entered the scene when the Bhayandar-based developer was looking for an out-of-court settlement after the owner of a 38-acre plot at Gorai backed out of a deal two years after he had been paid Rs2 crore as booking amount. The developer had earlier approached the Bombay high court for redress.

On the suggestion of one of his partners, the developer went to the office of a middleman who was supposed to settle the matter with the land owner. The middleman has also figured as an accused in the case.

According to the FIR, when the developer reached the middleman’s office, he found two persons there, but not the landowner. Even before any conversation could begin, the mobile phone of one of the strangers rang. He handed over the phone to the developer telling him that Iqbal Kaskar was at the other end.

“Forget that property. My elder brothers -- Dawood and Anees — have taken over. Meet me some other time,” Iqbal allegedly said in Hindi before he hung up.

The developer went to Iqbal’s office at Dongri where he found the same two persons and the landlord. Iqbal then allegedly heard in detail the previous deal. According to the developer’s complaint in the FIR, following his return from Iqbal’s office, he received a series of threat calls from unknown numbers from time to time between 2012-13. The developer again approached Iqbal when he learnt that the land had been sold to the two persons he had met at Iqbal’s office.

There he was allegedly told by one of the two — “I have done the deal as per the instructions of Dawoodbhai and Anisbhai. Get lost or you’ll be killed.”

The developer said he continued contesting the case in the high court until he received a call in 2016 from an overseas number from a man who identified himself as Anees Ibrahim: “ Tumne jo do karod ropiya Michael ko diye the, woh humne le liye hain. Toh ek Karod ropiya aur Iqbal Bhai ke office main pahunch cha de. Warna Dawood Bhai ke admi aakar tera game baja dega (We took the two crore you had given to Michael. Hand over one crore more at Iqbal’s office, otherwise Dawoodbhai’s men will finish you.” This was followed by a barrage of abuse.

The developer said in his complaint that he went to Iqbal’s office and handed over the money.