Mumbai, Sep 18 (India Today): Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar was picked up by Thane anti-extortion cell in an ongoing case of extortion.

He was picked up by encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma. Sharma was recently reinstated and posted with the Thane crime branch's anti extortion cell.

According to sources, a businessman had received calls from some gang members of Iqbal Kaskar demanding extortion. Sharma acted on the businessman's complaint and picked up Iqbal on Monday. He is presently being questioned by the Thane anti extortion cell officials.

Kaskar was deported to India from United Arab Emirates in 2003 as he was wanted in a murder case and the Sara Sahara illegal construction case. However, he was acquitted in both the cases in 2007. In February 2015, Kaskar was arrested but granted bail in an extortion case.

Who is Pradeep Sharma?

With an illustrious career spanning 25 years, encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, has reportedly killed about 113 underworld gangsters. The top cop was recently inducted by the Maharashtra Government. Sharma has over the years become cult figure with his bravado inspiring several Bollywood films. He was dismissed in 2008 for alleged role in the Lakhan Bhaiyya fake encounter.

Kaskar was asked to vacate houses

Last week, Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar asked to vacate his dilapidated Mumbai houses which included the Dawarwala Building at Pakmodia Street in Bhendi Bazaar and Shabnam Guest House in JJ Marg area. Kaskar had been staying in Damarwala Building at Pakmodia Street in Bhendi Bazaar, south Mumbai since long. Dawood's late sister Hasina Parker also used to stay in this building.

A four-page notice under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 or SAFEMA Act was pasted outside the Damarwala Building asking the occupants to vacate the structure.
Similar notice has also been put up at Shabnam Guest House located in JJ Marg area.

Earlier this year, the Appellate Tribunal for Forfeited Property had given the central government an approval to take over Dawood Ibrahim's two properties in located south Mumbai.

The tribunal had declared both properties as "illegally acquired" and approved their takeover under SAFEMA Act.

Arrested and released on bail in 2015

Kaskar was arrested but granted bail in an extortion case in February 2015.

J J Marg police station had registered a case against Iqbal Kaskar after a real estate agent, Mohammed Salim Shaikh, filed a complaint alleging that Kaskar and his men assaulted him and demanded Rs 3 lakh. Kaskar and two others were booked under IPC sections 385 (extortion), 323 (causing hurt) and 34 (common intention).