Dawood Ibrahim’s aides Riyaz Bhati, Salim Fruit arrested in Mumbai, here’s why

Riyaz Bhati, an associate of Dawood Ibrahim, was on Monday arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch’s anti-extortion cell. The gangster will be produced before a court on Tuesday.

Bhati was wanted in an extortion case wherein he allegedly threatened to murder someone if an extortion amount wasn’t paid. The victim had registered the case at Versova police station.

According to the police, Riyaz Bhati and Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, a relative of Chhota Shakeel, had extorted a costly vehicle and more than Rs 7 lakh by threatening to kill a businessman of Andheri.

Salim Fruit has also been named in the FIR.

Following a tip-off, the crime branch’s AEC team laid the trap and arrested the accused from the Andheri area.

The Crime Branch has also filed a petition in the NIA Special Court seeking the custody of Salim Fruit.

The police will present the arrested accused Riyaz Bhati in court on Tuesday and will demand his custody.

A case of extortion was also registered against Riyaz Bhati at Goregaon Police Station in Mumbai.

Bhati is an accused, along with former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh, in an extortion case lodged at Mumbai’s Goregaon police station.