Dubai flight scare: Deplaned man's sons quizzed

Mumbai: Amidst allegations of family dispute, police is questioning Aslam and Arif Khan - two sons of businessman Shahbaz Khan - who was deplaned on Sunday following reports about the presence of a terrorist on board Dubai-bound Emirates flight in Mumbai.

The two were being subjected to an inquiry but so far the probe has drawn a blank, officials of Sahar Airport police station said.

The Dubai-bound Emirates flight carrying 356 passengers at the Mumbai airport was grounded for four hours before take off after the airline's office received a phone call from a person claiming that Khan was a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative.

The caller had identified himself as one Suresh Chavan but Khan's family alleged that his sons could be behind the act because they had a property dispute.

After being questioned for hours, Khan was let off late Sunday night as nothing suspicious was found to indicate he was a terrorist, police added.

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"Both have claimed that they had not made any calls. We got details of their whereabouts at the time of incident," police inspector P Chinchalkar said, adding that they had asked the duo if they suspect anybody.

Police have registered a case against Suresh Chavan, who is yet to be identified, under Sections 182 (false information with intention to harm), 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code.

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Shahbaz's wife Munir, who accompanied him in the flight, was also questioned and let off last night, police said.

According to police, Shahbaz and his son Arif are involved in a property dispute for several years and have registered several complaints against each other in MRA Marg police station in south Mumbai.
"I suspect that it was the work of Arif. On several occasions, he tried to frame his father," said Sanjeev Kokil, MRA Marg police station.

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In June last year, Arif had went to a flat leased out to a tenant and thrown out his belongings, claiming he was the owner of the property although it belongs to his father, Kokil added. Arif was arrested and remanded to police custody for seven days that time, he recalled.

Shahbaz had contested last year's Assembly election as an Independent candidate from a south Mumbai constituency.