J Dey explores the gangsters who will rule the underworld in the coming year
J Dey explores the gangsters who will rule the underworld in the coming year
They are still learning the ropes, but within a year, these gangsters are slated to become the new faces of the underworld...
Mustaqeen Ibrahim
Crime Branch investigations indicate that Dawood Ibrahim (55) is grooming younger brother Mustaqeen (36) as the successor of D Company.
This process began after the death of his brother Noora in March. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria confirmed, "Dawood does not want the mantle of the empire to go to a non family member.
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Mustaqeen supersedes elder brothers Anis, Iqbal and key lieutenant Chhota Shakeel. He has been chosen because he does not have any serious offences registered against him.
Most of the dirty work like threatening, extorting money and executing killings are done by loyal top aide Chhota Shakeel and Faheem Machmach."
Arif Mirza
He has become the new face of the D Company, after his mentor Faheem Machmach has been asked to lie low. Arif spent his early days in the streets of Dongri, not far from where Machmach lived.
According to sources, Mirza has been using most of the contacts he developed during his stint in prison around 2000.
He now claims he is operating from China and South Africa. However, insiders say that D Company will not send him to such destinations until he has proved himself and earned enough money for the gang.
Anwar
Sources say Chhota Shakeel's (49) younger brother Anwar (38) has been in the shadow of elder brother Shakeel since the early 90s, when he escaped to Dubai and later Pakistan.
He has become active in recent months and is waiting for the right moment to start an independent faction.
Abid bhai
This new face, operating in Mira Road, has no Godfather in the underworld. His association with another novice, Anis, could turn into a deadly duo. The two are in their late 20s.
Raheem
Bomb blast accused Abu Salem's brother has become active ever since Salem's arrest.
Though Salem is not issuing fresh threats, his brother is conducting business on his behalf. However, most of the dealings have been with old partners so far.
Kumar Pillai
Ashwin Naik's (47) right-hand-man Kumar Pillai (42) has started becoming active on behalf of Naik in recent months.
He is mostly involved in large-scale construction work around Vikhroli, his stronghold. Pillai, an engineer like his mentor Naik, has been named in several extortion cases in north Mumbai.
He is also suspected in the murder of an estate agent in Vikhroli. Police sources revealed that Pillai could be holed up in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka or Singapore, which has a sizable Tamil population.
Pillai was recruited by Naik's elder brother, Amar, in the early 80s. He has been a Naik loyalist since then.
Pandav Putra gang
This gang, formed by Deepak Valekar who was earlier part of the Gawli gang, is fast climbing up the underworld ladder.
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The gang is into extortion and is fighting Gawli and Naik's gangs for supremacy in central Mumbai.
As a testimony to the changing face of the underworld and its political legitimisation, they are taking the political route to gain supremacy.
The gang wanted it's own candidate in the constituency in the upcoming elections. Valekar was arrested last year, but continues to lead the gang from jail.
The market share
Police sources say most new bhais are still learning the tricks of the trade.
They'll be taken seriously only after they have made an impact like the killing of music baron Gulshan Kumar launched Abu Salem in the upper echelons of the underworld.
An insider elaborated, "The new gangsters are yet to control the market. Their demands are in few lakhs to keep them going.
It is only after a sensational killing that targets take them seriously. Their current cumulative market control is less than three per cent."
Generation gap
The old school
Older dons like Dawood and Chhota Shakeel have grassroots experience.
Dawood's rags-to-riches story has made him an icon in the streets of Dongri and Nagpada. Shakeel is still the one who contacts frontline shooters in Mumbai. Killings are carried out through him.
Chhota Rajan too has seen action on the streets. He was a frontline shooter before escaping to Dubai.
Other dons like Amar Naik, Guru Satam and Suresh Manchekar have all seen action on the streets before becoming dons.
The new blood
The new blood, especially the ones inheriting set empires like Arif Mirza and Mustaqeen have never led from the front.
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Both Arif and Mustaqeen have never come in contact with recruits. They are not even known by their real names.
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A source said, "It'll be a long time before Mustaqeen fits into Dawood's shoes, or Arif becomes a force to reckon with."
The same goes for Raheem. He has not had to do much of the grunt work, as his brother led from the front.
Abid, Anis, Anwar and Pillai are the exceptions here. While the first two are staring from scratch, Anwar and Pillai both started from the top.
Added another source, "The new dons don't involve themselves in the action. They are tech savvy and operate from the background.
They mostly issue threats over the phone. Most of them are using the shortcut to the top."
Did you know?
Ejaz Lakdawala, Hemant Pujari and Ravi Pujari don't have any capable successor yet. The gang leaders are too busy hiding to expand their empire.
Sources also say that there is no one in Chhota Rajan's gang who can take over either
Gang-way
Each gang has an established way of functioning and new leaders have to master the gang's working style
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> The D Company, especially Chhota Shakeel, is known for thorough research. Shakeel has watchers following the target to let the victim know how he is shadowed.
The target is told on the phone what he or a relative is wearing and where he is heading. This puts tremendous pressure on the target and he succumbs to the threat.
This legacy is passed on to junior members of the gang. Mustaqeen and Arif Mirza will also have to ensure that they make research their forte.
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> Ashwin Naik's gang is known for working with subtlety. His cadres have several qualified people. They avoid publicity as much as possible. Kumar Pillai fits the description to a tee.
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> The Chhota Rajan gang is known for getting killings done through small-time robbers and attributing the act to senior members of the gang.
This not only instils fear in the mind of the target, but also keeps a new recruit from becoming famous very soon.
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> Arun Gawli's gang's mode of operation is similar to Chhota Rajan's gang. They cultivate some gangsters as brandsu00a0-- Dilip Kulkarni, Bandya and Sada Pawleu00a0and bank heavily on their names.
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> Ejaz Lakdawala specialises in research on Bollywood celebrities and some builders in and around Mira Road. This gang's Achilles heel is the lack of a good logistical team and shooters.
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> Ravi Pujari plays the patriotism card and has attacked people whom he considers anti-national. He is a poor paymaster and does not have any good shooter.
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> Hemant Pujari preys mainly on hoteliers.
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