Court seeks report from Tihar on Qureshi's plea on threat

A Delhi court today directed the Tihar Jail authorities here to submit by December 12 a status report on an application by controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi, claiming threats from alleged gangster Neeraj Bawana.
Qureshi, lodged in the central jail in connection with a money laundering case, has alleged that he was getting threats from Bawana, who is also lodged there.
Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj, who had earlier sought a report from the jail authorities in this regard, granted five days to the officials after they sought some more time to file their report.
On December 12, the court is also likely to pronounce its order on Qureshi's bail application.

In his application moved on November 7, Qureshi had said, "I have been shifted from general ward to high-risk ward where dreaded criminal, including those accused of rape and terrorism, are lodged, where I received threat from Bawana through his associate who is also lodged in the same jail."
He had also alleged that his family members had received threats too.

Qureshi was recently chargesheeted by the ED in a money laundering case, in which it was alleged that he had extorted Rs 7.5 crore from two businessmen, Pradeep Koneru and Satish Sana, by using the names of former CBI directors and promising to help them in CBI cases against them.

The ED had also alleged that Qureshi was involved in hawala transactions through Delhi-based hawala operators.
The meat exporter is also being probed by the Income Tax Department for alleged tax evasion.
Bawana, on the other hand, has been charge sheeted in various cases, including offences punishable under the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.