Mumbai: A 59-year-old man arrested in connection with the funding case of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim has sought bail before a special court.
Arif Shaikh, an Oshiwara resident, has stated in his bail application that he is a real estate businessman and has been falsely implicated. He has said that the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) that have been invoked against him do not apply at all as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has not mentioned any anti-national activity or incident committed by him in its complaint.
To invoke the UAPA is a misuse of law, he said, contending that the NIA has not shown any material that he has committed or planned to commit any terrorist act.
The accused further pointed out that the agency did not find any incriminating material in a search it conducted on his premises three months after registering the FIR. The plea added that the NIA didn’t find any material during the search to show that he is linked to Dawood’s gang and yet he was arrested.
The NIA had claimed that Rs5 lakh cash was recovered during the search. Regarding this, he said that he is engaged in property business in Mumbai and Thane and it is not exceptional for those in property business to keep such cash handy. The recovery of cash cannot attract a terror Act or provisions of the UAPA, he said.
“Even the smallest businessmen, who deal in the property in Mumbai and adjoining areas, would have more cash than what is allegedly recovered from him (applicant) in the said search,” his plea stated.
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