Cops register case against Shakeel’s aide, Bhati for threatening extortion case witness

Gangster Chhota Shakeel's aide, Riyaz Bhati, has been booked for allegedly threatening a witness in an extortion case filed in Mumbai. The witness claims to have received a call from Bhati threatening dire consequences if he did not testify in Bhati's favor. The police are investigating the matter and have registered a case against Bhati, his son, and his friend.

Mumbai: The Khar police have registered a case against gangster Chhota Shakeel’s aide, Riyaz Bhati, for allegedly threatening a witness in an extortion case filed in Versova in 2021.

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The complainant, who is a businessman from Khar, told the police that on November 4, when he was about to depose against Bhati in court, he allegedly received a call threatening him of dire consequences if he did not depose in favour of Bhati. The complainant said that the call was made by Bhati, while he was allegedly in prison. He had recorded the call after putting it in speaker mode and submitted the recording to the police.

The 43-year-old complainant, who owns a plastic manufacturing company, is a witness in the extortion case, where Bhati had introduced his wife to the complainant’s friend.

Later, Bhati accused the friend of having sexual relationships with his wife and extorted money from the friend and the complainant to pay him money, however, Bhati had allegedly threatened his wife and forced her into the sexual relationship, by luring her with money.

The complainant also named an acquaintance Rajesh Bajaj for threatening to depose him in favour of Bhati. When contacted, the police officers said that they are verifying the complaint and checking the authenticity of the recording submitted to them and the location from where Bhati made the threatening call. “We have registered a case against Bhati, his son and his friend under section 506 (2) for threats and section 195A (threatening any person to give false evidence), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and will investigate the matter,” said a police officer.