Thane Police team was kept in dark initially

Mumbai: The operation to arrest Iqbal Kaskar in an extortion probe was set into motion after the Thane police’s crime branch confirmed his location for the final time at 8.30 pm on Monday. 

The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the crime branch, headed by senior police inspector Pradeep Sharma, had been keeping a tab on Kaskar since a few days and wanted to apprehend him without facing any resistance. A team of 25 personnel including Thane police commandos was formed who left for Mumbai in a cavalcade of around 10 police vehicles.

“The team was also not told about the operation and it was briefed on it while travelling to Nagpada,” said an officer from Thane police’s AEC. The vehicles however were not taken up to Gordon Apartment in Nagpada from where Kaskar was to be apprehended. They were instead parked inside the premises of Byculla prison. “We then switched to unmarked vehicles without beacons and rushed to the spot. The building was surrounded by the team and two officers were sent in to the door of the apartment,” added the AEC officer.

The door was opened by an aide and soon after the police team barged inside and found Kaskar and others eating biryani and watching a television game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.

People had started gathering outside the building after seeing commando movement after the policemen in civilian clothes had enter the house. The officials, however, said that there was no resistance from the family.

“Once we entered inside, the focus was to leave with Kaskar as early as possible before there was any botch-up. The whole process was completed in 20 minutes and we left,” said the AEC officer. It was then that the Nagpada police station was informed about the detention. An officer from the Nagpada police arrived at the spot and after making diary entry the cavalcade left for Thane with Kaskar.