Author: Vivian S - vivian@mid-day.com
Publication: Mid-Day
Date: January 29, 2004
URL: http://www.mid-day.com/metro/thane/2004/january/75099.htm
The anti-extortion cell of Thane's
crime
branch arrested a suspected ISI
operative in Mumbra on Jan 23. The suspect, identified as Taj Mohammed
alias Junglee Pathan, is a Pakistani national who has been living in India
illegally since 1995.
Ravindranath Angre, the inspector
from the anti-extortion cell who made the arrest, was rewarded with a medal
and certificate from the state home minister RR Patil at a function in
Thane on Jan 27. Complainants from whom Pathan had stolen goods were returned
their possessions at this event.
Angre says that Pathan was one of
the toughest criminals he had interrogated, and that Pathan refused to
reveal any of his identities, including his place of birth.
"Pathan said to me 'Saab, aap mujhe
jitna maroge utna hi hum kadak honge. Hum marne ke liye hi payda hue hai.
Hum kuch nahi batayenge,'" says Angre, who claims the crime branch has
been tracking Pathan for the last one year, after nearly 100 complaints
of extortion, threats and attempts to murder have been lodged against him
at Mumbra police station.
Angre says that Pathan extorted
money from shopkeepers in Mumbra and never paid for any of the goods that
he took from them. He was arrested by the Saki Naka police in 1999 in connection
with a robbery case but escaped from police custody.
In 2000, and later in 2002, he attacked
a police sub-inspector and constable attached to Mumbra police station
when they tried to arrest him. "He was so fearsome that even the local
police were scared of him," says Angre.
Angre and his team received information
that Pathan was visiting his office - Heena Tours and Travels in Tanwar
Nagar, Mumbra - on Jan 23. They arrested him the same day, and seized eight
to 10 photocopies of fake passports, swords, a mobile phone and revolver
as well.
Though he owns other arms and ammunition,
they are with his eight gang members - the Junglee gang - who are absconding.
The police have booked 10 cases
against him for offences including extortion, attempt to murder and assault
on policemen in the past one year.
About Junglee
* Pathan was born in Karachi and
left for Bahrain in 1989.
* According to the Bahrain Embassy,
he was asked to leave the country after he was found with a fake passport
in 1995.
* Pathan came to India from Bahrain.
* He allegedly married a 15-year-old
girl in Mumbra by holding her father at gunpoint. He also has a first wife
who he married in Bahrain.
* He is a close associate of Iqbal
Kaskar, the younger brother of Dawood Ibrahim and helped arrange Kaskar's
daughter Noora's wedding in Bangalore.
* He has allegedly supplied several
drawings and maps of important locations across the country to the ISI.
