Witness’ life in jeopardy

MUMBAI: The special MCOCA court on Tuesday ordered that Iqbal Hasan Rizvi, a witness in the case against Rubina Sayyed, alleged girlfriend of Chhota Shakeel, be brought to the court in a separate vehicle for future proceedings.

Special designated judge MS Bhatkar remanded him in judicial custody on Monday taking into account the threat to Rizvi's life from the accused that he is deposing against.

Rubina Sayyed and five others were arrested by the Crime Branch in 2004. She had been allegedly taking directions from the gangster's aide Fahim Machmach to take care of Shakeel's men in jail and also to look after financial problems of some of the gangsters operating in the city.

Interestingly, he has been named as an absconding accused in a FERA violation case.