Mumbai: Demolition of Dawood's property begins

Mumbai, July 29: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) today started demolition of Sara Sahara, twin shopping complexes allegedly owned by Pakistan-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and heavy police bandobast at Crawford market in South Mumbai.

BMC official sources said demolition of Sara Sahara began this morning after Supreme Court yesterday refused to stay the demolition and directed the civic body to continue the demolition.

MCOCA judge - Mridula Bhatkar had visited the site on July 25, for inspection and thereafter she had given an order for demolition of the twin complexes to the civic body.

In this case, eight accused were arrested including four BMC officers for giving clearance certificate for construction of the illegal complexes. Dawood's younger brother Iqbal Kaskar was also booked in the case, trial of the case is proceeding on day-to-day basis in the MCOCA court.

The complexes having 350-odd galas and godown was constructed in the year 2001 by Dawood's man Abdul Sattar.

Demolition of the twin complexes was postponed earlier following lack of security 'bandoboast.' However, today more than 100 police personnels were deployed at the spot to tackle law and order situation.

The land originally belonged to Central Public Workd Departments (CPWD), which was an reserve plots for gardens.

UNI