AK 56, cartridges seized from Dawood aide’s Mumbai residence

A day after two drug peddlers were arrested by the Thane anti extortion cell (AEC) for possession of 10 gram of cocaine, the accused have disclosed the name of one Naim Khan, who happens to be a member of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s gang.Following this, the police raided Naim Khan’s house in Bangur Nagar, Goregaon, on Friday and seized an AK 56 rifle, 95 live bullets, a 9-mm pistol, and two magazines. Alongside Dawood’s aide, other high-profile people, including builders, have been named in the case.

Police suspect that the weapons that were seized during the raid may have been supplied by Chhota Shakeel in connection to the 1993 bomb blasts.

Param Bir Singh, Thane police commissioner, said, “During the questioning, the drug peddlers disclosed Naim Khan’s name. Following this, we raided Khan’s house and seized all weapons. We will also call in other people whose name came up during investigation for questioning.”

Naim’s wife, Yasmin Khan, 35, has now been arrested. Naim was arrested, along with four others, for plotting the murder of former Dawood Ibrahim gang member Iqbal Attarwala in 2016. The directive to kill Attarwala had been given by Shakeel, said police. Naim is currently lodged in Thane jail.

The two drug peddlers that disclosed Naim’s name – Jahid Kashmiri,47, and Sanjay Shroff, 47 – were arrested on Thursday after the Thane AEC received a tip-off that they were to come from Rabodi to Mumbai and Thane to sell drugs. Ten grams of cocaine and mobiles phones, collectively worth ₹1.5 lakh, were seized from them. A case was registered under provisions of the IPC and the NDPS act with the Rabodi police station. Kashmiri, Shroff, and Yasmin have been taken into police custody till July 11.