After dodging the police for almost five years, Umed-ul-Rehman, the Mumbai police’s most-wanted criminal, was arrested by the crime branch on Thursday from Goa.
Rehman, a close aide of underworld don Chhota Rajan, was arrested for his alleged role in the firing outside the residence of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Iqbal Kaskar, in which the latter’s bodyguard-cum-driver was killed.
On May 17, two gunmen had fired outside Kaksar’s residence on Pakmodia Street, a stronghold of Ibrahim. Arif Syed Abu Bukha, Kaskar’s driver died during the firing. Kaskar was not present at the site when the incident happened.
However, Rehman is not just involved in firing on Kaskar’s driver but was also responsible for other three firings — Chhote Miyan, Aasif Dadhi and a firing at DN Nagar. All these firing incidents had taken place between 2006 and 2009.
“Rehman (27) and his associate Aasid Jaan Mohammed Shaikh (41) were apprehended from the Arambol beach area in Goa yesterday,” said Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police, crime.
Eleven mobiles were seized from the two, who were hiding in the tourist state since the firing in May. Rehman was apparently constantly in touch with Rajan, after the firing at Pakmodia Street. “Rehman played an active role in the conspiracy that led to the firing,” Mr Roy said, refusing to elaborate his role. “Rehman also had plans for some more targets. With his arrest, we prevented major crimes,” he added. Two shooters Syyed Ali (29), a resident of Mumbra and Indra Khatri (27), possibly from Nepal, were arrested while trying to flee after the firing.
The crime branch also arrested two more accused Abdul Rashad Shaikh (21) and Adnan Idaayad Sayyed (21) who had allegedly helped the two shooters identify the target — Kaskar’s driver Bukha.
According to the sources Rehman, wanted in several other cases, was the one who provided weapons, financed the shooters and arranged for their stay in the city and guided them to the spot in Pakmodia Street. “Rehman and Aasid Jaan were present near the crime scene at the time of the firing,” said a senior crime branch official.
However the crime branch is tight-lipped regarding the motive behind firing at Pakmodia Street. “The reason as to why Bukha was killed and if he was the target or somebody else would be known only after a detailed interrogation of Rehman,” said Mr Roy.
Rehman is also prime accused in Zahid Ghulam Hassan Mir alias Chhote Miyan, who was shot dead along with his nephew Syed Arshad Hussain by unknown assailants in Nagpada on July 29, 2010. Chhote Miyan was involved in gambling and illegal cricket betting, and ran a gambling club.
Rehman was also involved in an attack on underworld don Chhota Shakeel’s man Asif Dadhi, who was injured in the attack in Bhendi Bazaar on February 13.
Last year the crime branch had arrested two shooters for their role in firing on Miyan and Dadhi. According to the police, it was during their interrogation that Rehman’s role came to light.
Rehman was also involved in firing on the police at DN Nagar in 2006 “With the arrest of Rehman, we have cracked four firing cases, which had taken place in the last two years,” said Mr Roy.
Rehman rose in the hierarchy of the Rajan gang after the Kala Ghoda shootout in 2007.