New Delhi, Apr 24 (IANS): Khalil Ahmed, said to be an aide of don Dawood Ibrahim, was Monday acquitted by the Delhi High Court in a case of alleged attempt to extort money from a businessman here. He was booked under a stringent anti-organised crime law.

Justice Suresh Kait dismissed the police plea and upheld the trial court's order absolving Khalil of the charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) for running an organised crime syndicate.

Police slapped the MCOCA against Khalil saying he was running a crime syndicate and was involved in 34 cases of extortion, dacoity, kidnapping, assault, murder, intimidation, and attempt to murder from 1985 to 2009.

The court rejected the police contention that the MCOCA should be invoked against Khalil, who was arrested by from south Delhi in 2009, as he was wanted to face trial in 34 criminal cases for offences of extortion, murder, dacoity, kidnapping, assault, intimidation and attempt to murder.

"The offence under the MCOCA must comprise continuing unlawful activity relating to organised crime undertaken by an individual singly or jointly, either as a member of the organised crime syndicate or on behalf of such syndicate by use of coercive or other unlawful means with the objective of gaining pecuniary benefits or gaining undue economic or other advantage for himself or for any other person or for promoting insurgency," said the court.

"The prosecution failed to ascertain whether the offences committed" in the 34 cases were related to organised crime or not, the court said.

Businessman Qmar Ahmed filed a complaint alleging that Feb 16, 2009, when he was in his shop with partner Sanjeev Bhist, two people came and handed over a mobile phone to him forcing him to speak to Khalil. Khalil demanded Rs.10 lakh as extortion money and threatened to kill him and his family if his demand was not met.

Cheryl Cole to Release Autobiography
London, Apr 24 (IANS):Singer Cheryl Cole is reportedly planning to release her autobiography, in which she will discuss her broken marriage to soccer star Ashley Cole.

The 28-year-old has reportedly signed a deal with publishers Harper Collins for the tome which will hit stores in the autumn. And she vowed to tell all about her marriage to Ashley Cole, who she split from in 2010 amid revelations of his infidelity.

''She signed the deal for big money so she won't be able to hold back on details. Ashley should be worried," the sun.co.uk quoted a source as saying.

''Cheryl's been thinking about doing this for a long time and has spent months preparing, going through old diaries. She wants no stone left unturned. After remaining silent for so long it feels like the right time to speak out," the source added.