Dawood aide,not Kaskars driver,was target: Police

Kaskar's driver-cum-bodyguard Arif Syed Abu Bakr could have been a victim of mistaken identity.

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Arif Syed Abu Bakr,driver-cum-bodyguard of Dawood Ibrahims brother Iqbal Kaskar,who was gunned down by two assailants at Kaskars doorstep on Pakmodia Street in May,could have been a victim of mistaken identity. Sustained interrogation of Sheikh Umed-ur-Rehman Ishrat Hussain,one of Chhota Rajans main sharpshooters,has revealed that the target assigned by Rajan was not Arif,but Dawood Ibrahims oldest associate and aide Hanif Talwar.

Umed told interrogators that the May 17 incident was part of a first batch of firings in South Mumbai and Pakmodia Street was chosen on purpose as Rajan wants to make a comeback,and a very significant one,said sources.

On May 17,Talwars presence was misjudged by Umed and his associates though they had recced the place several times. In the confusion and the pressure,Umed shot Arif as he felt threatened,and fled, said an officer. If Umed thought his boss will be angry,he was wrong as Rajan was satisfied the firing took place on Pakmodia Street, he added.

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The Mumbai Police Crime Branch and the local police are now verifying if Talwar was present at the scene too. Umed was picked up from Goa by the Crime Branch on Thursday. The police are now verifying his claim and also expanding its probe to include all the communication done by Umed through the 11 phones seized from him.

Interestingly,the officers further claimed that the Pakmodia contract came to Umed after a few other shooters were approached. We are questioning some of them, said the officer. Another Crime Branch team is now trying to track the recces done by Umed for the hit and might question Talwar to verify the sequence of events.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the designation gives law enforcement “enhanced powers to combat a group that has instilled fear through violence and intimidation”.

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