Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, who was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the probe against Dawood Ibrahim and his gang, revealed that Ibrahim and Chota Shakeel lived in Clifton area of Karachi.
“Chota Shakeel is a known gangster and used to run an extortion racket through his henchmen. Some of them were Faheem Machmach (deceased), Najid Bharuchi, Nasir Kalia (deceased) . Chota Shakeel used to operate from Pakistan and as far as I know, he left India in 1995-96 and since then he is in Pakistan,” he told ED.
When asked whether he is in touch with Chota Shakeel, he added, “I am not in touch with Shakeel now but was in touch with him till 2006 as he is my relative. After that, I never spoke to him because of his illegal activities. I also visited his home in Pakistan three to four times between 2000 and 2006. That time, Shakeel used to reside in Phase 5, Defence Area, Clifton, Karachi.”
Dawood actively running ops, carrying out extortion activities in India
Salim also revealed that Chota Shakeel used to work for Dawood Ibrahim and they resided near Ghazi Shah Peer Mazar in Clifton ,Karachi. He said that he never met Dawood personally but knew that Shakeel operated particularly in Mumbai to control and operate illegal activities of Dawood Ibrahim.
Salim also knew Salim Patel, a close aide of Dawood’s sister Haseena Parkar, and through him he had learnt that Parkar, also known as Haseena Aapa, used to mediate in disputed properties and through this she made money.
“At that time, Haseena Aapa being Dawood’s sister, used to enjoy the clout of Dawood. People in the locality obeyed her words out of fear. Some cases of extortion were also registered against Haseena Aapa and Salim Patel. After Dawood left India, Haseena Aapa used to control his properties out of which several properties were attached by SAFEMA. Some of these properties held by Haseena Aapa on Pakmodia Street were auctioned by SAFEMA and purchased by Burhani Trust in auction,” said Salim Fruit in his statement when asked about Haseena Parkar.
Salim revealed that since 1989 he was helping his father with the supply and export of fruits and that is why he came to be known as Salim Fruit. In the year 1999, he married Shazia who is the sister of Chota Shakeel’s wife. Since 2001, he was based in Dubai running a hardware store and a supermarket.
Salim was deported from Dubai in 2006 and was arrested upon his arrival in Mumbai in an extortion case registered against Chota Shakeel and others in 2001. There were ten others as well who were deported from Dubai to Mumbai with Salim.
Maharashtra Control Of Organised Crime ACT (MCOCA) was also imposed on him and he was lodged in Arthur road prison till 2010, when he was acquitted owing to lack of evidence.
