Kolkata man arrested for threatening Sanjay Raut had made threat calls to Maharashtra CM, Sharad Pawar: ATS

Mumbai: A Kolkata resident, who was arrested on Friday for allegedly threatening Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, had also made similar calls at residences of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) officials said on Saturday.

According to news agency PTI, the accused, Palash Bose, had projected himself to be a member of Dawood Ibrahim's gang while allegedly making these phone calls earlier this month, the ATS officials said.

According to ATS, Bose (49) had lived in Dubai for more than 15 years and returned to Kolkata a few years ago.

"He made these calls by using a SIM card which he had procured from Dubai," the ATS officials said, adding that Bose also revealed that he had used international SIM cards to make these calls.

Police are now trying to find out if Bose has any connections to D-Company in Dubai.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered under sections 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the complaint of Raut, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anti- Terrorism Squad, Vikram Deshmane.

Police had also added section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932, he said.

"During investigation, ATS Mumbai received information from a reliable source that the accused is hiding in Kolkata, following which he was picked up from that city by a team led by police inspector Daya Nayak," he said.

Police recovered two mobile phones, four SIM cards - three international and one domestic - from the accused, the DCP said.

Bose's motive behind making these threat calls is under investigation, the DCP said.

He said Bose, a science graduate, had obtained phone numbers of politicians whom he had targeted from various websites.

Mumbai Police were given the transit remand of the accused till September 14.

On Sunday, police had beefed up security outside Thackeray's residence 'Matoshree' in Bandra after an unidentified caller, claiming to be fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim''s aide, called the bungalow's landline number.
State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had received threat calls on more than one occasion over his stance in connection with the controversy involving actress Kangana Ranaut.

Deshmukh had received the calls from Himachal Pradesh and another location from different numbers on Tuesday and at around 6 am on Wednesday, sources close to him had said, adding that the callers asked the minister not to get involved in the controversy.

Earlier also, an anonymous caller had phoned Deshmukh's Nagpur office, threatening him and Sharad Pawar, a minister had said.

Kolkata Police had said that Bose claimed himself to be a fan of Ranaut.

The Shiv Sena and the actress are engaged in a war of words after the latter recently likened Mumbai to PoK and also said she feared Mumbai Police more than the movie mafia.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is ruled by the Shiv Sena, on Wednesday pulled down some illegal alterations made at Ranaut's bungalow in suburban Bandra. 

The Bombay High Court later granted a stay. 

(With Agency inputs)