Lakadwala henchmen produced in court, sent to jail

Barabanki, July 26 (UNI) The four aides of international gangster Eijaz Lakadwala arrested while getting weapons to attack singer turned actor Himesh Reshammiya and producer Raj Kumar Santoshi, were produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court here today.

Anees Radiowala -- the gang leader along with three of his henchmen -- Namdev, Mohammad Rahim Khan and Irshad Warsi -- appeared before Chief Judicial Magistrate Anupam Gopal Nigam, who ordered them to be sent under judicial custody.

The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police had yesterday nabbed four associates of Eijaz Lakadwala, who were here to get weapons to shoot Bollywood singer-actor Reshammiya and producer Santoshi for not paying extortion money.

The STF caught hold of the criminals on the information of the Mumbai police at Deva in the nearby Barabanki district. Four revolvers/pistols, one mobile phone and a SUV, of Maharashtra registration in which they were travelling were seized.

Anees had confessed to being an agent of Lakadwala to India, who at present operates from Australia and New Zealand.

Narrating the conspiracy to attack the two Bollywood personalities, he said they were refusing to pay the extortion money and hence, the shooters and weapons were required for their killings.

''First we planned to shoot Himesh during the mega TV music contest programme SaReGaMa by engaging a shooter to contest the show. But, it did not work, as he failed to get selected,'' he said.

Lakadwala is one of the most wanted gangsters. In May 2003, he was rumored to have been killed when Dawood's henchmen opened fire at him in a crowded market in Bangkok. However, he survived and moved to Canada.

In May 2004, he was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, following an Interpol red corner notice for him.

He is involved in more than 20 cases of extortion, attempt to murder and rioting.

UNI