Mumbai:
While every flat in the infamous Bhendi Bazaar will offer its residents a slice of underworld history after its redevelopment, some 'lucky' ones could end up living in the precise spot where the building in which Dawood Ibrahim grew up stands today.
For, the redeveloper the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust has, in what some would call a daring move, asked the government to let it purchase 3-4 buildings owned by the dreaded gangster or his gang, which are currently sealed. Dawood lived in the area until the early 90s.
Abdeali Bhanpurawala, secretary, Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust said, "There are 3-4 buildings, out of which one was handed over to the police commissioner and the rest were sealed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. We have already sent a letter to the Commissioner of Police asking him for the building and have requested the government to let us purchase the other buildings. We are ready to bid for the buildings if they auction them."
There are nearly 289 buildings in the area and the Trust also wants to redevelop the Pakmodia Street building which is being used as a residence by Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar and was the site of a recent shootout.
"Pakmodia Street comes within Bhendi Bazaar and we will redevelop that area too," confirmed Bhanpurawala, adding that he had not met Kaskar to ask for his consent yet.
S Balakrishnan, a senior journalist who has been closely monitoring the underworld for decades said, "The trust may be able to take over the buildings, but that wouldn't ensure that the tag of an underworld hub, which has latched on to Bhendi Bazaar, would be completely removed after its redevelopment."
"The police and the State Reserve Police Force should be given adequate place there to help the area shed its reputation and so that they can keep a tab on underworld activity," he added.
The Rs 2,000-cr Bhendi Bazaar redevelopment project is spread over an area of 16.5 acres and will rehabilitate nearly 3,200 tenants by giving them homes having an area of 350 sq ft and more. There is a provision to accommodate nearly 1,250 commercial establishments as well.
The fear of buying Dawood Ibrahim's properties has thwarted several auctions:
January, 2001: The auction of 11 properties owned by Dawood, including some in Bhendi Bazaar, by the income tax department was a non-starter, with not a single bidder turning up. The authorities, after waiting for almost 30 minutes for the auction to commence, finally threw in the towel.
September, 2001: The auction of 13 properties of the gangster saw only one 144-sq ft shed in Tardeo being sold in a high-security auction in which six bidders turned up and only two placed bids.
"If the government is afraid of disposing of the properties of the don, who has been described by the US government as a global terrorist with links to the Al Qaida, how can we be expected to tackle terrorism," a police officer had said on the issue.
March, 2011: In a historic win, two advocates trounced Dawood Ibrahim in a 10-year legal battle over his Tardeo shed auctioned in 2001. A Court of Small Cases ruled in favour of advocates Ajay Shrivastav and Viral Shukla and ordered Dawood's sister, Hasina Parkar, to vacate the property.
Rs 2,000 crThe value of the Bhendi Bazaar redevelopment project, which is spread over 16.5 acres and includes nearly 290 buildings. The Trust also wants to redevelop the Pakmodia Street building which is being used as a residence by Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar and was the site of a recent shootout.