Date:08/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/08/stories/2008100858110300.htm

New Delhi

Fazalu gang member held

Staff Reporter

Came to Delhi after Fazalu’s arrest to help him in the case

Naseem was in regular touch with Mauseem
Was involved in the kidnapping of a jeweller

NEW DELHI: The Special Cell of the Delhi police has arrested Naseem, a suspected henchman of underworld mafia don Fazal-ur-Rehman or Fazalu, who is alleged to have been involved in the extortion racket of the gangster and used to issue threats to affluent businessmen in Delhi.

The police said they received information in August that a henchman of the mafia don was issuing threats to a businessman. On mounting technical and manual surveillance, the police learnt that Naseem would come to Inderlok metro railway station on October 5. They laid a trap and nabbed him.

During interrogation, Naseem told the police that after the arrest of Fazal-ur-Rehman in 2006, he had come to Delhi to help him out with the case proceedings. Thereafter, Naseem was told by Fazalu to look after his underworld activities. On his directions, the police said, Naseem had also contacted Ali of Pakistan, who was in charge of Fazalu’s extortion racket in Dubai. After Ali was arrested in Pakistan, Mauseem began looking after Fazalu’s extortion racket.

The police said a year ago Mauseem had contacted Naseem and since then, they had both been in regular touch. Some time ago, Naseem asked Mauseem to collect extortion money from hotel owners in Dubai and to send it to India for Fazalu.

About a month ago, Fazalu had given Naseem the task of sending mobile numbers of three affluent businessmen of Delhi to Mauseem so that he could make extortion calls to them.

On September 3, the police said, Mauseem had called these businessmen and asked for huge sums from them. But before the gang could collect the ransom, Naseem was nabbed.

In the past, the police alleged, Naseem had been involved in the kidnapping of a jeweller, Prahalad Thakur, at Darbhanga in Bihar. The victim had been released after being held captive for 11 days on payment of a ransom of Rs.2 crore, the police claimed.