Ex-Dawood aide Tarik Parveen held for extortion

The Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Mumbai Police on Sunday arrested a former aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim for allegedly extorting a city-based businessman, police said.

Tarik Parveen was arrested from Dongri in south Mumbai, they added.

"We arrested Parveen today after a case of extortion was registered against him at the MRA Marg Police Station. A businessman had lodged a complaint of extortion," Joint Commissioner of Police Santosh Rastogi said.

In the FIR, police have also made former aide of Dawood Ibrahim, Ejaz Lakdawala and Salim Furniturewala alias Salim Maharaj as the accused, he added.

"Lakdawala and Furniturewala are already in our custody," he said.

Lakdawala (50), who was wanted in 25 cases in Mumbai, was arrested from Patna in Bihar on January 8.

A Byculla-based builder had complained to the police last year that Lakdawala was seeking extortion money from him, police said.

During Lakdawala's interrogation, Furniturewala's involvement in the extortion racket came to light. It was found that Furniturewala was helping Lakdawala in running the racket he was operating from overseas, police said.

Furniturewala was arrested late last month from Mumbai, police said.