MUMBAI: The city crime branch recently arrested an aide of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim for trying to extort Rs 5 lakh from a real estate developer. The victim, Ajay Dhawan, said the accused Riyaz Bhati (50) had threatened him with dire consequences if he did not pay the money. Dhawan had lodged a complaint at the Juhu police station.

Dhawan and his partner were in dispute over a land deal. According to the complaint, when Bhati learnt of the rift, he tried to take advantage of it. "Bhati threatened Dhawan by boasting about his underworld contacts. He then demanded money," said a policeman.

In his complaint, Dhawan said Bhati had been demanding the money to resolve the matter between him and his partner.

Bhati was caught on October 4 - after the police acted on a tip-off - by a team led by senior inspector Vinayak Mehr of crime branch unit 1 from south Mumbai.

"Bhati is in custody till October 9. He had met the victim in person, and made extortion calls to him," said deputy police commissioner Datta Nalawade.

Bhati was arrested by the Anti-Extortion Cell in July this year for forgery. The police said he had allegedly forged the signature of a Wilson College trustee in order to obtain membership of the Mumbai Cricket Association.

The crime branch official also said that an extortion case had been registered against Bhati and his brother with the Amboli police in August this year.

