Mumbai, Mar 3 (Mumbai Mirror): Notorious gangster and brother-in-law of fugitive underworld don Chhota Shakeel, Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, was arrested on Wednesday in a 12-year-old extortion case, Crime Branch officers said. Fruit, against whom a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was issued in the case, was arrested from Nagpada by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) sleuths of the Crime Branch.

According to police, in 2004, Shakeel's hirelings had threatened a central Mumbai-based doctor and demanded Rs 25 lakh. After negotiations, the amount was settled for Rs 10 lakh. The Crime Branch had then arrested two people when they came to collect the money. Later, two more people were held in the same case. At that time, Fruit was a fugitive. He was deported to India in 2007 from Dubai and jailed.

"In 2010, Fruit was released on bail and ever since he was in Mumbai. However, the gangster could be arrested only today," a police source said. An AEC officer, requesting anonymity, said, "Two months ago, we had launched a drive in which we prepared a list of all the wanted, absconders and the criminals having NBW issued against them from 1980s." So far, 26 criminals, whose name was in the list, have been held under the drive, the officer added.

One more accused, Altaf Aalam alias Vicky, is wanted in the extortion case, police said. Fruit was produced in a court, which sent him in police custody till March 8. According to police, Salim, the blueeyed boy of Chhota Shakeel, used to export fruits to Dubai before joining the gang, hence his nickname 'Fruit'.