Models allegedly 'auditioned' for Dawood's associate inside Mumbai court

Mumbai, May 29: Mumbai police are probing a startling revelation made by a model who has claimed that she and two other girls were selected for front desk job at a Dubai jewellery store by gangster Mustafa Dossa inside a courtroom.

Dossa, an associate of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, is in jail and facing trial in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case in the sessions court here.

According to the girl, she and seven others were taken to the courtroom for Dossa's inspection -- who was seated in the dock -- sometime in the first week of May, and he selected three of them. She had not met Dossa prior to this.

"The matter is under investigation. We are probing the underworld connection," said Deputy Police Commissioner Mohan Dahikar.

The alleged "auditioning" came to light when the girl, one of the three selected models, registered a complaint with Shivaji Park police station that she was subsequently robbed.

According to her, after Dossa indicated to his aides his choice, she and two others were given Rs 1 lakh each outside the court.

However, when she was returning, three men in police uniform stopped her car, told her they were crime branch officials, and confiscated the money and her mobile.

Afterwards, she went to crime branch to get her mobile back, and realised that they were not policemen but probably Dossa's aides.

"We are yet to verify the claim that audition was held inside the courtroom," said another officer on condition of anonymity.

Dossa is believed to have acquired several properties in the Gulf countries including jewellery stores. Crime branch has arrested three people in connection with the case.

PTI