Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar, two others remanded to eight-day police custody

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Thane: Iqbal Kaskar, the brother of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and two others who were arrested by the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Monday, were sent to police custody for eight days by a court here on Tuesday.

Iqbal Kaskar was running an extortion racket since 2013, allegedly with the help of politicians, the Thane police said earlier today.

Parambir Singh, Thane Commissioner of Police, had confirmed this while addressing a press briefing on the issue.

Giving more details, Singh said that three people, including Iqbal Kaskar, have been arrested and are being questioned by the officials at the moment.

Iqbal Kaskar was arrested from his sister Haseena Parkar's residence, the Thane CP told reporters.

Singh, however, said that it was yet to be determined if Dawood had any role in the extortion racket being run by Iqbal Kaskar.

Whether Dawood Ibrahim had an indirect or direct involvement in Iqbal Kaskar's extortion racket needs to be probed, Singh said.

Speaking about their modus operandi, Singh said that threats to targets were given in name of Dawood and the gang had hired some shooters from outside.

Some of them had come from Bihar to forcibly evacuate properties, Thane CP said.

Some politicians including local corporators could also be involved, which is being investigated, the Thane CP said. 

Iqbal was taken into custody soon after his from a house in Nagpada area in Central Mumbai by a team led by encounter specialist and the anti-extortion cell's senior police inspector Pradeep Sharma.

According to sources, some extortion calls were made in Iqbal's name to a Thane-based businessman, as per PTI.

The businessman then approached the anti-extortion cell of Thane police with a complaint.

Acting on the complaint, Sharma's team went to Nagpada and took Iqbal into custody.

Earlier on September 7, Kaskar had been asked to vacate two dilapidated buildings which the authorities said were acquired illegally.

He was asked to vacate the Damarwala Building at Pakmodia Street in Bhendi Bazaar and Shabnam Guest House in JJ Marg area, both in south Mumbai.

A notice under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 or SAFEMA Act had been pasted outside the Damarwala building, asking the occupants to vacate it.

A similar notice was also put up at Shabnam Guest House located in JJ Marg area.

Dawood's late sister Hasina Parker also used to stay in Damarwala Building.

Iqbal, who was deported from the United Arab Emirates in 2003, is said to be operating his brother's real estate business in the city, the police said.

He was wanted in a murder case and the Sara Sahara illegal construction case. However, he was acquitted in both the cases in 2007.

Sharma, who led the team that detained Kaskar, was suspended in Lakhan Bhaiya encounter case and was recently reinstated in the police force. 

(With Agency inputs)