Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar was deported to India from the UAE in 2003.
Iqbal Kaskar -- arrested yesterday on charges of extortion -- used to issue threats in the name of his brother, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the police said today. The police are now investigating if India's most wanted criminal was involved personally in the extortion rackets.
"We are seeing if there is any direct involvement of Dawood Ibrahim or not," said Paramveer Singh, a senior police officer. All threats, he said, were given under the name of Dawood's gang. "Dawood's name was being used for extorting money... his gang was involved... shooters were brought in from different states."
The arrest of Iqbal Kaskar had led to speculations about possible action against Dawood Ibrahim. Last week, Union minister VK Singh had said, "We will not talk about Dawood at all. Certain things are happening. We can't let the cat out of the bag."
Iqbal Kaskar's arrest came after a builder accused him of making repeated demands for flats.
Today the police said initial investigation revealed that demands for money and real estate were made on regular basis. "Kaskar was running the entire extortion racket. Not just cash, even flats were extorted," the officer said.
Iqbal Kaskar was deported to India in 2003 from the United Arab Emirates. He was wanted in a murder case, and his alleged role in the controversial Sara Sahara case, where a building came up illegally on government land. Four years later, a court acquitted him in both cases.
Listed as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council, Dawood Ibrahim is the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, in which 257 people were killed. Recently, UK placed him on its updated list of Financial Sanctions Targets, where he is mentioned as the only "Indian national". The list contains his 21 aliases and three recorded addresses in Pakistan's Karachi.
Last year, the UN agency added his addresses in Karachi on its list, validating India's stand that the man is being shielded by Pakistan.