Bid to kill Pune businessman foiled

A notorious goon Asif Iqbal Shaikh alias Asif Dadi (43), who claimed to have links with the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested by the anti-organised crime cell (north region) on March 5, along with Nitin Shrikant Surve alias RDX (32).

The duo has been accused of hatching a plan to kill a reputed businessman of Pimpri-Chinchwad area. The businessman runs a factory, besides supplying materials to reputed hotels and clubs in the city. Shaikh is also reported to have good relationship with a local Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation leader.

The duo, who met at Ambedkar Chowk in Pimpri, was arrested and four live cartridges, a countrymade pistol and a revolver were recovered from them.

Shaikh is a resident of MIDC area in Pimpri, while Surve hails from Upper Indira Nagar in Bibvewadi area. Acting on a tip-off, the police, led by inspector Satish Govekar and PSI Majeet Shaikh, constables Satish Kambale, Nasir Patel and others, nabbed them at Ambedkar chowk on Saturday evening.

According to the police, “Shaikh was involved in murder and kidnapping cases since 1988. He used to exhort money from people by claiming to be a Dawood aide.  Surve is an accused in a murder case that took place in 2002 and was absconding during the hearing of the court case in 2005. He, along with eight others, was convicted to life imprisonment.”