Author: J Dey
Publication: Mid-Day
Date: June 10, 2009
URL: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/oct/051009-underworld-bootlegging-gambling-smuggling-gangs.htm
J Dey reports how the underworld, unnoticed
by the common man, is creeping into the mainstream
The underworld today is a clear departure
from what it was between the 70s and 90s. From controlling bootlegging, gambling
and smuggling, the gangs have now entered businesses like real estate, cinema,
sand dredging and waterfront commerce in Mumbai's ports and even the purchase
of vegetables and meat . For the common man this means he unknowingly adds
to the coffers of gangs...
Dumping yards
From: 2007
Worth: Rs 15 lakh a day
The underworld preys on every bit of mud gouged out to construct a new building.
Chhota Shakeel's men collect around Rs 3,000 per truck to dump the waste at
a Chembur dump yard.
About 500 trucks visit the dump yard daily
a collection of Rs 15 lakh a day. The builder, in turn, makes up the money
from the common man by adding the inflated cost of dumping to the selling
price of his apartments.
At ports
From: 2007
Worth: Rs 100 crore annually
Fuel is siphoned from ships and sold in the open market at half the price.
This industry is dominated by the Dawood Ibrahim gang.
Cable lines
From: 2006
Worth: Rs 10,000 crore
NOC (no-objection certificate) in underworld lingo means the builders' sanction
to lay cable lines in a new building. The gangs use muscle power to ensure
the operator of their choice is given the contract. The going rate per cable
connection is Rs 250-Rs 300. As the operational cost is around Rs 100 per
unit, the operator and the gang share around Rs 150 per connection. Residents
are unaware that the monthly fee goes to the underworld.
"It is an estimated Rs 10,000 crore business
in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai," said an insider.
A cable operator is often killed if he tries to encroach into a rival's territory.
Even builders who don't cooperate are bumped
off. The murder of builder Zuber at Mira Road is a glaring case in point.
Chhota Rajan and his associates hold sway
over areas extending from Sion to Mulund and parts of Navi Mumbai. South Mumbai
cable operators owe allegiance to Dawood Ibrahim.
"Most of the underworld income is reaped
by the five most powerful gangs in the city the Dawood Ibrahim-Chhota Shakeel,
Chhota Rajan, Arun Gawli, Ravi Pujari and Hemant Pujari gangs, said Joint
CP (Crime) Rakesh Maria. "There is also the Ashwin Naik and Ejaz Lakdawala
gang," he added.
White-collar associates
To facilitate their move into mainstream businesses,
the gangs have built up a network of white-collared associates...
Police
"Several senior police postings are done in consultation with builders
and politicians. There are dozens of officers who have never been transferred
out of south Mumbai," revealed an encounter specialist. Behind them are
underworld dons. Gangsters like Chhota Shakeel are known to assure maximum
votes for the politician provided a cop of the gang's choice is posted in
their area.
Said Sunny (name changed), a victim of this
nexus, "The gangs have infiltrated the police force. I had a very bitter
experience recently when I was escorted to court as a witness. The police
officer whispered into my ears that I would be shot if I testified against
the gang. I developed cold feet. Most of the senior officers are aware that
their juniors are connected with gangs."
Politicians
The underworld-politician nexus is also fast coming out of the closet. Congress
leader Hussain Dalwai confirmed, "There is a definite underworld-politician
nexus. However, the nature of this nexus is changing. Gangsters are no longer
content with working behind the scenes. They now want to play an active role
rather than being tools of politicians."
Taxes on veggies
Amar Naik started collecting Bapat (a term
for money among local businessmen) from the Dadar markets in the late 90s.
This meant people ended up paying gangs on
the purchase of cloth and basic food like vegetables, fruits and meat.
Recent Killings
April 4: Police informer Irfan Khan, alias
Irfan Chindi, is killed in an attack by three unknown assailants. It is initially
suspected that bookie Chhote Miyan, a Dawood man, is involved in the killing.
But that theory is later rejected. It's now believed Dawood got Chindi killed
because he came to his brother Noora's fathia (a post-funeral gathering ritual)
with a hidden camera with the intent to pass it on to a journalist.
July 29: Chhote Miyan is gunned down outside
his residence. Initially, it appeared he was killed because he failed to honour
a payment. Now it is suspected that he was killed by Chhota Shakeel's men
and that a group of informers orchestrated the murder.
September 13: Cable operator Jing Bhandu Jena
is killed in Chembur. The murder is suspected to be the handiwork of the Chhota
Rajan gang. The police claim he was killed due to a dispute over distribution
of cable lines.
Changing face of underworld
1970-80: The major players were Haji Mastan,
Karim Lala, Vardarajan Mudaliar, Yusuf Patel, Golden Babya, Sitaram Dada,
Moses Dada, Rajan Nair (Bada Rajan) and Manya Surve, and were involved in
bootlegging and gambling. The narcotics trade in this decade was largely limited
to hashish. The old dons mostly ruled the neighbourhood they lived in.
1980-90: Gangsters like Dawood, his brother
Sabir, Alamzeb, Samad Khan, Amirzada and some major players from the 70s made
money from smuggling gold, silver, watches and radios. The narcotics trade
was still limited to hashish. Dons started operating from abroad, with Dawood
making the first move in 1986.
1990-2000: Dawood, Chhota Shakeel, Chhota
Rajan, Guru Satam, Abu Salem were the new dons now. Their main business was
extortion and murders. The narcotics trade moved to heroin. This is
also the era when match-fixing began.
2000-2009: Dawood, Shakeel, Arun Gawli and
Rajan moved on to construction, producing films (Eg: Chori Chori Chupke Chupke),
distribution of film rights and the cable business. The narcotics trade now
is largely governed by cocaine and other chemicals drugs like Mandrax or Button,
Ecstacy, Acid, Butterfly, etc.
Did you know?
The underworld washed their hands off bootlegging in 2005 after 105 people
in Mulund died due to the consumption of illicit liquor.
