Now, allegation of VIP treatment of 2 Arthur Rd prisoners

Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala

Gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, in a letter to the principal judge of the sessions court, has alleged that jailed businessmen Rakesh Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan have been getting VIP treatment during their visits to the court. Lakdawala, in the letter shared with mid-day by his daughter, has urged the court to review the CCTV camera footage of the locations he has mentioned to verify his claims.

The Wadhawans are currently lodged at Arthur Road jail in various cases of money laundering, cheating and fraud. In the letter dated May 16, Lakdawala said that he has seen the HDIL promoters having meals, using their phones and enjoying free time at the court premises while being protected by their bodyguards. Lakdawala, in the letter shared with mid-day by his daughter, has urged the court to review the CCTV camera footage of the locations he has mentioned to verify his claims.

Rakesh and Sarang Wadhawan are lodged at Arthur Road jail in money laundering cases

While arriving for his court appearances, "I saw Sarang and Rakesh Wadhawan accompanied by their bodyguards and business colleagues... I saw them using mobile phones and enjoying meals near the 37th court and outside the 16th court as well," the letter reads.

"After inquiring with some court officers, I learned that their presiding officer is on leave until next month [June], yet the Wadhawans were brought to the court from Arthur Road jail and [they] remained on the court premises until late evening. Therefore, I humbly request that the CCTV footage be reviewed to ascertain the truth," the letter stated.

He also sought from the court information on the procedure for obtaining the facilities that all the accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) are enjoying. Lakdawala in March made a similar complaint, but against former Yes Bank CEO and managing director Rana Kapoor. He alleged that Kapoor was running his office from the court premises. "He (Rana Kapoor) is with me in the same prison and in the same Anda Cell. I constantly hear him boasting about bribing the court and jail authorities for his daily production without facing charges," Lakdawala had stated in his complaint.

A former aide of Dawood Ibrahim, Lakdawala was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch from Patna in 2020 after being on the run since 1998. He is facing multiple extortion cases.

May 16
Day he wrote to sessions court principal judge