Brothers being questioned by ATS claim that relatives are framing them over garage ownership

In a joint effort, police and security agencies claim to have stumbled on a sinister plot, which may involve major names in the mafia or even a terror outfit.

A police officer attached to the Pydhonie police station and officials of the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), both working on a tip-off, raided a garage near Sabkuch Shopping Centre in Malad yesterday afternoon and seized a suitcase suspected to contain explosives.

Inside, they discovered a substance resembling RDX and other items like ball bearings and wires that they assume could be the trigger mechanism.

During the raid, the team took in three brothers identified as Salim Khan, Hanif and Hafeez for questioning to Malad police station.

There are reasons to believe that the trio may have links to gangster Dawood Ibrahim's right-hand-man, Chhota Shakeel and police are even investigating the possibility of links to a terror outfit.

Police fear that the RDX seized is typical to that used by military forces or terror outfits. This also raises questions whether the three brothers had any sinister plans in the city.

The trio was being questioned about the source of the RDX till late last night.

The police, based on information gathered during interrogation, have also launched a massive manhunt for one Rahil Rauf Talukdar alias Babloo, who could be a key suspect in the case.

A senior police officer speaking to MiD DAY said that several intelligence agencies are presently working on the case, which has ramifications across the country.

"My team is working on the case and I cannot divulge any additional information," said Shamsher Khan Pathan, senior inspector attached to Pydhonie police station.

This reporter was witness to the seizure and said that the matter came to the fore after the Pydhonie police received a tip-off that a suspicious suitcase was abandoned outside a garage.

The ATS was informed by the Pydhonie police and asked to participate in the raid. After the seizure was made, the ATS has been asked to ascertain the quality of RDX, and a report is awaited.

Family claims

Istiaq Sayed, a relative of the three arrested told MiD DAY that he suspects some relatives of the brothers had planted the RDX in the backyard of the garage through black magic as a result of a dispute over ownership of the garage.

"The Khan brothers' cousins, Rasid, Yasin and Hippo were practicing black magic for quite sometime and are sworn enemies. Even the Khans thought it could be one of these routine black magic practices," said Sayed.