Gutka
Case
CBI
files progress report in Gutkha case
Mumbai, Feb. 07, 2005
PTI
CBI has filed an interim progress report in a special
court of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act
(MCOCA) regarding investigations into the alleged
links of Gutkha barons Jagdish Joshi and Manikchand
Dhariwal.
The report, filed yesterday, was tabled before the
court in a sealed cover and would be opened on February
22, public prosecutor Rohini Salian told PTI here
today.
Both Gutkha barons are facing the allegations of
exporting gutkha pouch manufacturing machinery to
Pakistan via Dubai to help underworld don Dawood Ibrahim
in setting up gutkha business in the neighbouring
country.
Earlier, CBI had chargesheeted four accused -- Anees
Ibrahim, Jamiruddin alias Jumbo, Rajesh Panchariya
and Farooq Mansoori.
Anees, brother of Dawood Ibrahim and Farooq are absconding
while the other two had disclosed their alleged involvement
after their arrest.
Jumbo and Panchariya had allegedly revealed that
they were "pressurised" by the two gutkha
manufacturers to send the pouch manufacturing machinery
to Pakistan to help Dawood.
Based on their statements, the CBI had summoned Joshi
and Dhariwal to appear for investigations.
However, both were in Dubai last year and had initially
expressed unwillingness to come to India as they had
to maintain their NRI status by staying in the Gulf
country for a certain period.
Eventually, they appeared before CBI in keeping with
a Bombay High Court directive and were questioned.
