MUMBAI /PATNA: Fuditive gangster Ejaz Lakdawala wanted in connection with several cases of extortion, has been arrested by the Mumbai Police’s anti-extortion cell, a top official said on Thursday. The gangster, who was on the run for 20 years, was arrested by the crime branch from Patna and brought to Mumbai on Wednesday. He was produced in court and remanded in police custody till January 21, said Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve.
Lakdawala, in his fifties, was a member of both Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan gangs before starting his gang. He was last known to be living in Canada. Police also hope to get information on Dawood from Lakdawal. Describing Lakdawala’s arrest as a “major achievement”, Barve said there were 25 cases of extortion registered against Lakdawala in Mumbai and that he had made extortion calls to 80 people. “Now that he has been arrested, we will find out how many unreported cases are there against him,” he added.
Confirming the arrest, ADG (Law and Order) Amit Kumar told the media that the Patna police supported a team of Mumbai City police’s crime branch cum-anti-extortion cell to nab the fugitive. Lakdawala used to call his targets from international numbers and demand money.
The police had initiated efforts to arrest Lakdawala about six months back. The process intensified after the arrest of his daughter Soniya Sheikh on December 28, when she was trying to escape to Nepal. Lakdawala and his daughter, both were booked in February 2019 for making an extortion call to a builder in Khar and her interrogation revealed probable whereabouts of Lakdawal, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Santosh Rastogi