Fadnavis raised the issue of Bagwan’s "disproportionate assets" while referring to a complaint filed by the former officer's brother. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, on Thursday raised the issue of corruption in Mumbai Police in the House, questioning the “disproportionate assets” of former police officer and encounter specialist Isaque Bagwan and his alleged links with Iqbal Kaskar, brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. He said he would give a pen drive to Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil for conducting an investigation in the matter.
Fadnavis raised the issue of Bagwan’s “disproportionate assets” while referring to a complaint filed by the former officer’s brother. “Isaque Bagwan is a retired and celebrated officer of Mumbai Police and was also an encounter specialist. Now, his brother has lodged a complaint against him about accumulating disproportionate assets. In Baramati alone, he owns 42 acre of non-agricultural land. His properties can be found from Baramati to Mumbai,” he said.
He added that the land in Baramati was bought by Bagwan while in service in the name of his brother Nasir Bagwan, father Ibrahim Bagwan and sister-in-law Bilkis Gulab Hussain Bagwan.
“After retiring, the land was transferred in Bagwan’s name… just an application submitted for this. Then, Isaque Bagwan sold it to one Kapoor and took it back in two months. The land was taken back in the name of Farid Mohammed Ali Welder. When the Thane Police crime branch arrested Iqbal Kaskar, brother of Dawood Ibrahim, in 2017, Kaskar said he had allegedly given Rs 10 lakh to Welder, who died seven days after being interrogated,” he claimed. Stating that Welder bought the land for Rs 41 lakh, Fadnavis claimed the land was in his name for 10 years. “On December 30, 2020, Welder’s son transferred the land to Bagwan’s name through a gift deed. A political leader from Mumbai mediated this… that is why I am giving you (home minister) this pen drive. This is Bagwan’s sting operation,” he added.
Seeking the arrest of NCP Minister Nawab Malik, he said, “…after money laundering and land grabbing from accused in Mumbai blasts case, after ED’s arrest, after trial court’s custody, after HC’s decision, why his resignation is not being taken? This is denting the image of the government.” While the government is expected to reply to Fadnavis’s allegations on Friday, Bagwan was not available for comment.
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