M’rashtra minister on camera with Dawood aide

CNN IBN

Mumbai, 29 September 2010: Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil has been caught on the wrong foot after he was captured on camera with Dawood Ibrahim’s henchmen. However, the Nationalist Congress Party leader has denied the allegation. CNN-IBN investigated how closely is the underworld connected to politics? We bring you some pictures that expose how deep the nexus run.

 

Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil was spotted with Salim Patel - a man known to be close to infamous gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Patel was arrested in the Hyderabad blasts case. The state home minister has also been seen with another dreaded criminal -- Mobin Qureshi - a suspect in the murder of a BJP MLA Prem Kumar Sharma. And if that wasn’t enough, Patil has also been seen accepting a bouquet of flowers from Irfan Qureshi, a builder who’s been blacklisted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

 

 

Patil met all three men at an Eid function organised by Minority Commission Chairman Naseem Siddiqui at his residence in Mumbai. However, Patil has claimed innocence. “ I was not aware of who were there at that party. Police had not informed me, nor had my department informed me who would be present at the party. If I knew, I would not have gone,” said Patil. Meanwhile, Minority Commission Chairman Naseem Siddiqui, at whose residence they met, has also denied allegations.

 

“R.R. Patil just came home wish us on Eid. It wasn’t a party and this person Irfan Qureshi is a renowned builder… these two people have no criminal record… on that day their were 200-300 people in my house I have no idea who is Salim… If I knew he has criminal records I would not have invited him to my party… I want an inquiry into the matter I ask the home ministry to inquire its a conspiracy,” said Siddiqui.