The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested two Mumbai-based associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and close confidante Shakeel Shaikh alias Chhota Shakeel. The arrested accused were identified as Arif Abubakar Shaikh and Shabbir Abubakar Shaikh. The NIA official said that the two were running the syndicate of the D-Company from the western suburbs of Mumbai and were involved in illegal activities and terror funding.
Both will be produced before the special NIA court in Mumbai, where the agency will seek their custodial remand. The Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Chhota Shakeel, who operates an international criminal syndicate from Pakistan. He is involved in extortion, narcotics smuggling and terrorist activities. The NIA has summoned two dozen persons to join the ongoing probe or face arrests.