Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, who is wanted in extortion, attempt to murder and rioting cases has been arrested by a Mumbai Police team on Thursday, January 9. Lakdawala was absconding for over two decades. With an Interpol red corner notice pending against him, Lakdawala has been associated with various mafia gangs in the past in Mumbai.
Lakdawala was apprehended by Mumbai Crime Branch's anti-extortion cell team at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday, the official said. He once worked for underworld don Dawood Ibrahim before forming his own gang, he said.
In May 2004, he was arrested by the Canadian Police in Ottawa. A few years back he was believed to be somewhere in North America, although he frequently changed his locations to South East Asia as well. A Red Corner notice had earlier been issued against him.
In the past couple of decades, he had been on the run and was spotted in locations like Dubai, Bangkok and Ontario. He was produced before a Mumbai court and remanded to custody till January 21. More details of the operation are awaited.
Lakdawala's daughter interrogated
Intelligence sources said Lakdawala's daughter Sonia was nabbed on a tip-off at Mumbai airport while travelling to Nepal. On interrogation, she revealed that her father was hiding in Nepal which is also the base of operations of allied gangster Chhota Rajan.
Lakdawala had also been allied previously with Dawood Ibrahim in running extortion rackets but later parted ways with him. He later hatched a plot to kill Dawood in Karachi but the plan failed as Dawood did not turn up.
(With inputs from wires)
