In a recent crackdown against the parking mafia in Malad’s Malwani area, the police have arrested a key accused while another is absconding. The issue came to light following the murder of a 27-year-old Ola driver, Sahil Gujjar, allegedly by the mafia. The police crackdown comes days after mid-day exposed how illegal operators were extorting cab and autorickshaw drivers in the Malwani area.

According to sources, the mafia had turned the entire Lagoon Road into their personal empire, seizing government land, converting it into illegal parking lots, and forcing thousands of autorickshaw drivers, car drivers and owners, to cough up money. Each vehicle was charged R30 daily, with mafia henchmen threatening drivers with beatings if they refused.

“They had even installed CCTV cameras to keep a watch and ensure no driver escaped their extortion net,” said a police source. During the investigation, when the police raided a spot, they found the CCTV footage missing and that the alleged accused had escaped with the hard drive disk. Two complaints are registered with the Malwani police. In the first case, an autorickshaw driver filed a complaint against Imran Aslam Sheikh, 36.

The complainant said he used to park his autorickshaw near Plot No. 50 where the accused forced him to pay Rs 210 for seven days in May. He alleged that Sheikh threatened and abused him when he refused to pay. Sheikh was arrested on Monday. In another case, an autorickshaw driver complained that he was forced to pay Rs 210 per week since March by Shafiq Munnawar Sheikh. The Malwani police registered an extortion case against Sheikh. 

However, he has been absconding since. Speaking with mid-day, Senior Inspector Shailendra Nagarkar of the Malwani police said, “We have arrested one accused, and the hunt is on for the other. Malwani police will not allow this mafia to thrive.”

Source