builder Hifzur Rahman

MCOCA invoked against Mumbai builder, gangster in contract-killing case

Ahmed Ali / TNN / Updated: Feb 14, 2022, 08:41 IST

Picture used for representational purpose only

MUMBAI: Byculla police have invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a case registered against a south Mumbai developer accused of allegedly giving a ‘supari’ (contract killing) to a gangster to eliminate his former partner over a financial dispute in two redevelopment projects. 
Police, after invoking MCOCA last week, have also moved Bombay high court for cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to developer Hifzur Rahman Ansari for allegedly conspiring with gangster Iliyas Bachkana to kill businessman Raju Sikander Lilodia. 
Ansari was earlier booked in a drug frame-up case by MRA Marg police last August. He had been accused of allegedly planting 128gm of charas in the scooter of a social worker over a property dispute.. 
In the fresh case, on April 30, 2021, when Lilodia, a wholesale dealer of nuts and bolts who dabbles in construction, was in his office at Dockyard Road when three-four men armed with country-made weapons and iron rods barged into his office and assaulted him. Police said Lilodiya and his cousin managed to overpower and nab one of the assailants, Wahid Shaikh, who was later handed over to the police. 
Lilodia, who was seriously injured in the incident, told the police he suspected his former partner was behind the attack. 
Shaikh allegedly disclosed the conspiracy to his interrogators and led to the arrest of his accomplices—Karim Khan alias Shanu, Mobin Shaikh alias Batla and Mohammed Iftekar. During interrogation, the accused allegedly said that they were given a contract to kill Lilodia by Bachkana and Ansari. 
“Ansari moved the sessions court and due to the ongoing pandemic situation, procured interim relief which has continued till recently,” said a police officer. 
“Meanwhile, we started looking for Bachkana who has around 30 serious offences of theft, robbery, murder and attempt to murder. This is part of a crime by an organised syndicate so we invoked MCOCA after obtaining sanction from the commissioner of police,” the officer added. 
Lilodia has also filed a complaint that he feared a threat to his life from Ansari and has sought police protection. 
Assistant commissioner of police, Agripada division, Vitthal Shinde has been appointed as the investigating officer of the case. 

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Extortion complaint’s against DCP, not me: Mumbai cop on run

Ahmed Ali / TNN / Updated: Feb 26, 2022, 06:02 IST

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MUMBAI: A week after two cops were arrested for allegedly trying to extort money from angadias or traditional couriers, the advocate of the third accused, inspector Om Vangaate, told an additional sessions court that while the complainant had named the zonal DCP, his client has been made a scapegoat. 
“The police department has made these junior officers scapegoats and is trying to protect a senior officer. The original complaint of December 7 is against DCP Saurabh Tripathi and officers of L T Marg and V P Road police stations. Video clips produced by the crime branch before the court only show angadias enter the police chowky and nothing is established of any exchange of money with my client who has been victimised in the false case,” advocate Ashok Sarogitold additional sessions Judge R M Sadrani, who is hearing Vangaate’s anticipatory bail plea. 
The DCP in whose jurisdiction the trio was posted has already been shifted to an insignificant posting. 
Complainant rewarded me last month: Cop on the run
The sessions court on Friday heard the arguments of the defence and the police, and may pass an order on Monday. 
Sarogi also told the court this January, the same complainant had given a reward to Vangaate and his team for recovering Rs 8 crore that was stolen from a jeweller’s firm. “If there was a complaint of extortion against Vangaate in December, then how did they reward him in January?” argued Sarogi. 
The police argued they have arrested two policemen and their investigations are at a crucial stage, and they need Vangaate’s custodial interrogation to proceed with the probe. “Nobody is being protected and I am assuring the investigations will be carried out in a free and fair manner,” said a senior police official. 
Meanwhile, the 37th Metropolitan Magistrate S B Bhajipale rejected the bail applications of the two police inspectors—assistant police inspector Samadaan Jamdaade and sub-inspector Nitin Kadam—arrested in the extortion case and sent to judicial custody. 
DCP Tripathi was unavailable for comment. 
The case pertains to a complaint filed by the members of the Angadia Association of Bhuleshwar who alleged that the L T Marg as well V P Road police were detaining them illegally and were forcibly taking away part of their cash belongings. Following the complaint, the commissioner of police directed the additional commissioner of police Dilip Sawant to probe the case. Last week, Sawant submitted a report confirming the complaint. 

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DNA test confirms BJP neta’s wife is of Indian origin

/ Feb 28, 2022, 03:47 IST

Mumbai: The State Forensic Science Laboratory’s DNA report has revealed that Reshma Khairati Khan, wife of BJP’s minority cell vice president Hyder Azam, was born to Indian parents. Khan was booked along with three policemen on allegations that she obtained an Indian passport based on forged documents. 
Among the accused in the case is IPS officer Deven Bharti, who was booked for not registering a case against Khan despite a letter from the special branch officer accusing her of forging documents and obtaining a passport.
Advocate Rizwan Merchant representing Khan told TOI that her parents are from Bihar and her grandfather was in the police department. “Now it is proved that she is born to Indian parents,” said Merchant, reiterating that Khan is the daughter of Khairati Hassan and Aasma Khatun, both from Bihar. The Bombay high court has kept the matter for hearing on Monday and granted Khan relief from arrest.
“DNA profiling (STR) analysis) has been performed on the samples submitted to the laboratory. On comparison of the STR profile of three submitted samples (of Khairati Hassan, Aasma Khan and Reshma) the probability of paternity is 99.99%. This indicates that Khairati Hassan cannot be excluded as the biological father of the tested child Reshma Khan,” states the DNA the report.
In 2015, police inspector Deepak Kurulkar (now retired) had alleged that Khan was a Bangladeshi national. He had conducted a preliminary inquiry in 2015 while he was posted at I branch. Kurulkar alleged that he wrote to the Records & Copying Sections in West Bengal to cross-check the birth certificate of Khan that had been issued from 24 Pargnas, West Bengal, and her date of birth was January 1, 1989. He said that there was some altercation which he said was suspicious. Kurulkar said he was informed that there was no such record found there. Kurulkar then informed senior inspector of Malvani Dipak Phatangare to register an FIR against Khan. Kurulkar learnt that there was an order from higher ups not to register the case as she was the wife of a senior politician.

 

Mumbai: Company director arrested for duping firm of Rs 117 crore

Ahmed Ali / TNN / Updated: Mar 1, 2022, 08:55 IST

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MUMBAI: The Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai police on Monday arrested Ushik Gala, one of the directors of Suumaya Industries for allegedly duping another company of Rs 117 cr by promising high returns. 
The Mumbai based company had posted a net profit of Rs 406 crore and a revenue of Rs 4,263 crore during the last fiscal. Gala, one of the many accused in the FIR has been booked for cheating, forgery and criminal breach of trust. 
Gala was produced before the Esplanade metropolitan Magistrate court which remanded him to police custody. The complainant, Vinaykumar Agarwal, of Caphalpha trade private limited had lodged a complaint with the Worli police alleging that representatives of Dentsu Communications India private limited, Suumaya Industries and Veda Multicorp LLP and its partners had conspired with each other and lured the complainant with rosy pictures of getting high returns. 
The accused floated a scheme linked to investing in agro companies, submitted forged bills and invoices and projected them to be genuine and misled the investor, police said. 

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Cop withdraws pre-arrest bail plea in extortion case

Ahmed Ali / Mar 10, 2022, 03:41 IST

Mumbai: Police inspector Om Wangaate, accused of extorting money from angadias or traditional couriers, on Wednesday withdrew his anticipatory bail application in the Bombay high court.
Crime branch officials said Wangaate has gone into hiding.
The HC gave Wangaate’s lawyer the option of withdrawing his plea as it was rejecting it. 
He withdrew his plea, paving the way for his arrest.
The city crime branch had opposed his bail plea, stating they want his custodial interrogation to investigate the involvement of more policemen, want to recover the money he had allegedly extorted from the angadias and confront him with the two arrested policemen.
Meanwhile, the crime intelligence unit (CIU) late on Tuesday seized Wangaate’s two mobile phones when he had come to record his statement during interim relief. 
Wangaate has alleged his DCP had pressurized him to summon the couriers to Phophlewadi Chowky and “check their baggage” but he denied having extorted or robbed any angadia.
The Association of Angadias, in their complaint in December last year, alleged officials of L T Marg police and V P Road under zonal DCP Saurabh Tripathi were demanding a sum of Rs 10 lakh per month to run their business smoothly.
The inquiry conducted by additional commissioner of police (south region) Dilip Sawant had reportedly established from the CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts that policemen were detaining angadias and taking away part of their cash.

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Mumbai: Cops foil murder plot of builder

/ TNN / Mar 16, 2022, 00:40 IST

MUMBAI: With the arrest of gangster Chhota Rajan's aide Arif Arafat Lokhandwala with two sophisticated weapons and 28 rounds of ammunition, the Mumbai crime branch claimed to have foiled a major contract killing of a builder from Mira Road. 
What has baffled the police is that Lokhandwala was directly in touch with Dawood aide and 1993 serial bomb blast accused Javed Chikna based in Pakistan. 
The Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of the city crime branch have intimated the builder and the Thane police is believed to have provided him with the police security. (TOI has upheld the name of the builder for security reasons). 
On a specific tip off, the AEC on Saturday arrested Arif Arafat Lokhandwala, a notorious criminal with two 7.65 pistols, extra magazines and 28 live rounds. 
Police have booked him under the arms act and are trying to figure out the motive behind procuring a country made revolver and was remanded to police custody. 
During his search police have found a chit containing the name of the builder, his picture, description, two registration numbers of two high-end cars with the colour description and office as well his residence address. 
Shockingly, police have also found that the accused was talking to Javed Chikna over WhatsApp and other app-based calls and was in constant touch with him over WhatsApp chats. 
"As of now, we have booked him for arms act but will soon invoke the sections criminal conspiracy and attempt to murder after collecting evidence," said an official. 
Police have shown Javed Chikna as an absconding accused in the case

 

Mumbai: In angadia extortion case, DCP referred to as wanted accused

/ TNN / Mar 16, 2022, 05:06 IST

MUMBAI: The city police, in its remand application seeking extension of the custody of inspector Om Wangaate in the angadia extortion case, on Tuesday mentioned zonal deputy commissioner of police Saurbah Tripathi as a wanted accused, but did not name him. At least four crime branch teams have fanned out in various locations, including his hometown in Kanpur, to trace the 2010 batch IPS officer. 
Besides Wangaate, assistant police inspector Nitin Kadam and sub-inspector Samadhan Jamdaade have been arrested in the case. "From the interrogation of the three cops, in addition to statements of various witnesses, CCTV footage, call detail reports and their mobile locations, it appears that Tripathi was the key person who was pressuring the three police officers to detain angadias and collect money from them. Hence, we have now shown Tripathi as a wanted accused," said an officer privy to investigation. 

TOI was first to report on February 22 that an IPS officer was under scanner in the extortion case. 
In December 2020, an angadia association had complained to the then commissioner of police Hemant Nagarale that officials of LT Marg and VP Road police stations, including Tripathi, were demanding Rs 10 lakh for smooth running of their business. Additional commissioner of police (South Region) Dilip Sawant conducted an inquiry and submitted a report confirming that there was substance in the complaint. Sources said while four-five angadias have given details of Rs 19 lakh extorted from them, the amount is likely to cross Rs 50 lakh. 
A senior official from the home department said Tripathi has not even taken sick leave, but has been absent from work without giving any explanation to the police commissioner. On February 23, when Tripathi was transferred to the Local Arms division, he switched off his phone and exited WhatsApp police groups. Even his official residence at Worli police quarters is locked. 
In 2014, Tripathi, an MBBS doctor, served as ADC to the governor. Later he was sent to Ahmednagar, where he led the probe into the 2016 Kopardi rape-murder of a Maratha girl by three Dalits youths, which had triggered the Maratha agitation across the state. Later, he was transferred to Mumbai zone IV. 
On Tuesday, the 37th metropolitan magistrate's court extended Wangaate's police custody till March 19. Police said they need to take him out of Maharashtra for investigation, and hence need his further custody. Police are awaiting a forensic report of Wangaate's phone for deleted data and photographs.

 

Maharashtra govt told to suspend IPS officer linked to extortion

/ TNN / Updated: Mar 17, 2022, 05:49 IST

MUMBAI: The city police have asked the state government to suspend IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi after his role in extorting money from angadias or traditional couriers became evident. 
Tripathi, who has not reported for work since February 19, has moved the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail and the matter has been posted for hearing on March 24 before sessions judge R M Sadrani. Tripathi was shunted from zone 2 deputy commissioner of police to DCP operations soon after the FIR. 
In December 2020, an angadia association had complained to then commissioner of police Hemant Nagrale that officials of L T Marg and V P Road police stations, including Tripathi, were demanding Rs 10 lakh for smooth running of their business. Three policemen, inspector Om Wangaate, assistant inspector Nitin Kadam and sub-inspector Samadhan Jamdaade, have been arrested in the case. 
Questions were raised by some of the officers for not including the name of Tripathi in the FIR when the angadias had specifically mentioned him. In their original complaint to Nagrale, the angadia association had accused DCP Tripathi of threatening them with action by the income tax department and demanding Rs 10 lakh per month. 
The police said Tripathi’s role became clearly evident after Wangaate spilled the beans on him. “Wangaate initially denied his role but during the course of investigation, admitted that he executed the illegal orders given to him by Tripathi. He said there was nothing in writing and since he was the inspector in charge of crime investigation, Tripathi assigned the job to him. He in turn asked subordinates Kadam and Jamdaade to summon angadias and check their baggage. On the pretext of checking, they removed some cash but he didn’t clarify the exact amount they robbed from angadias,” said a source. 
The angadias said the accused officer robbed/extorted Rs 19 lakh belonging to four angadias on last December 2, 3, 4 and 6. The police have already seized CCTV footage which establishes policemen taking angadias inside the Phophlewadi police chowky under the pretext of checking. 
The police have also found the Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) that helps track details of a call or message generated by a phone device and includes details like the number from which the call was made, destination port, start and end date and time. Wangaate said Tripathi used to call him on WhatsApp and other mobile apps. “The IPDR has helped us in establishing communications between Tripathi and Wangaate,” said an officer. 
Officials said Tripathi has not given any reason for his absence from work. The police department recently received a letter from Tripathi’s wife saying Tripathi is unwell. Crime branch police teams have fanned out to his home town in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and relatives’ houses in Lucknow.

 

Mumbai: IPS officer linked to angadia extortion sent Rs 40 lakh via hawala to domestic help

Ahmed Ali / TNN / Updated: Mar 22, 2022, 08:21 IST

IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi (File photo)

MUMBAI: IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi, who is facing probe in the extortion case against policemen for demanding money from angadias, has reportedly transferred Rs 40 lakh through hawala to a person who worked at the house of his parents in Uttar Pradesh. The domestic help collected money on the instructions of the IPS officer. 
Pappu Kumar Payerlal Gaud was arrested on Saturday from Lucknow and brought to Mumbai. Officials said arrested police inspector Om Wangaate and the hawala operator who sent the money to Lucknow have told the police in their statements about the transfer of money. If found true, Tripathi could face action by the income tax authorities as well as by the state anti-corruption bureau, said officials. 
Earlier, assistant inspector Samadan Jamdaade and sub-inspector Nitin Kadam were arrested in the case. All three policemen are still in custody. 
Sources said the crime branch has found evidence and statements of witnesses who have said that Rs 3 lakh was sent to Gaud through hawala on behalf of Tripathi on November 30 and Rs 35 lakh in the next three days. The angadias had alleged in their complaint to the then police chief Hemant Nagrale that these policemen had threatened them with action by the I-T department and had extorted Rs 19 lakh on four days -- December 2,3,4 and 6, said the police. 
“Proceeds of the crime in this case is Rs 19 lakh and the rest of the money (21 lakh) appears to be ‘extra collection’ which only Tripathi will be able to explain,” said an officer. 
Gaud was produced before the court on Sunday and remanded to police custody. He is not cooperating in the probe, said the police. 
Tripathi, who is on run in the case, has moved the sessions court, seeking anticipatory bail and the matter has been kept for hearing on March 23. The police said they will oppose the bail application. 
The police said so far, they have recorded the statements of various angadias, middlemen, hawala operators, and policemen who worked with Tripathi, who was the zonal DCP at the time of the crime, and have collected CCTV footage where policemen are seen detaining angadias and Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) details. IPDDR helps track details of a call or message generated by a phone device and includes details like the number from which the call was made, destination port, start and end date and time. This is crucial as Wangaate and DCP Tripathi used to talk only on WhatsApp, the investigators added. 
Last December, the association of angadias had complained to the then commissioner of police that police officials of L T Marg and V P Road police stations, including DCP zone 2 Tripathi, were demanding Rs 10 lakh for smooth running of their business. 
Angadias will get chance to point out guilty cops at jail ID parade
The 37th metropolitan magistrate, S B Bhajipale, on Monday directed the jail authorities to allow the city crime branch to conduct an identification parade (IP) in Arthur Road jail of the three policemen arrested in the alleged angadia extortion racket. The police said during the identification parade, the complainant angadias will identify the accused policemen who extorted money from them. 

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Maharashtra home department suspends IPS officer absconding in extortion case

Ahmed Ali / TNN / Updated: Mar 23, 2022, 05:54 IST

IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi

MUMBAI: The state home department on Tuesday suspended IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi, who went into hiding in the last week of February after his role in extorting money from angadias or traditional couriers became evident. Three junior cops have already been arrested in the case and are in custody. 

Tripathi, who is deputy commissioner of police, proceeded on unauthorised leave soon after an FIR was registered against the three policemen from LT Marg police station on February 18. He has been named as absconding accused by police in their remand plea in the case of one of the arrested cops, and his anticipatory bail application is coming up for hearing in sessions court on Wednesday. 
The crime branch, which is probing the case, has been searching for him but in vain. On Sunday, the police arrested his househelp, employed at his home in Lucknow, to whom Tripathi transferred Rs 40 lakh through hawala sources. 
Police sources said Tripathi was the brain behind the illegal confinement of the angadias and extortion of money from them. The suspension order said, "IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi of 2010 batch has not informed his office about his absence nor submitted any medical documents for leave. It has also been observed that Tripathi has been exerting pressure on the witnesses in the FIR registered against the officers of LT Marg police station for robbery and extortion. The government is satisfied that it is necessary and desirable to place Tripathi under suspension in accordance with the provision of Rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969." 
Crime branch officials said angadias in their complaint lodged in December 2021 stated that DCP Tripathi, who was heading zone 2, had demanded Rs 10 lakh for smooth running of their business. When the junior police officers started confining angadias in the police chowky and forcibly took away cash from their bags, the angadias met Tripathi and complained. Police said instead of taking action, Tripathi himself demanded a cut of Rs 10 lakh per month and threatened that otherwise, he would inform the Income-Tax department and not allow the angadias to run their business. 
"Tripathi said that there are a number of police stations that fall under his jurisdiction and at present, only LT Marg and VP Road are confining them, and if other police stations get involved, you (angadias) will cry," the complaint of angadias stated. Police said they will include the recent developments against Tripathi, including CCTV footages, statements, call detail reports, Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) and statements of hawala operators who have stated Tripathi had sent Rs 40 lakh in two installments to his hometown in Lucknow through hawala method and his servant Pyarelal Gaud had accepted the cash. 

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26/11 bravehearts: 15 cops to get an extra increment

Ahmed Ali / TNN / Updated: Mar 24, 2022, 09:24 IST

MUMBAI: Fourteen years after the 26/11 attacks, the state government on Tuesday decided to provide an extra increment beginning 2008 for 15 cops who displayed courage and caught two Pakistani terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail at Girgaum Chowpatty. A government resolution has been issued to this effect. 
Kasab and Ismail, two of the ten terrorists, after killing four senior police officers near Cama Hospital, were headed towards Girgaum Chowpatty, when the police team of these 15 policemen of D B Marg police station intercepted them at Chowpatty and caught Kasab alive. Assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Omble died in the return fire. 
As per the decision taken in the cabinet meeting held in 2008, special assistance was sanctioned to the families of police officers/staff who were martyred in the 26/11 terror attacks. 
Also, other officers/staff who have shown bravery in the 26/11 attacks have been honoured with special prizes and cash prizes such as the President's Police Bravery Medal, Director General of Police Medal of Honour and Medal of Merit. But decision was taken in this regard regarding service matters of the serving police officers who had displayed their bravery. Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Prabhu had raised the matter in the assembly. 
The 15 policemen who will benefit are inspectors Sanjay Gowilkar, Shivaji Kole, Bhaskar Kadam, Hemant Bhavdhankar, constables Santosh Chedvankar, Sanjay Patil, Sarjerao Pawar, Chandrakant Chavan, Vijay Awhad, Amol Shelke, Vikram Nikam, Sunil Sohni, Chandrakant Kamble and Ramesh Mane. Out of these, 5-6 have already retired. "We are happy that at least our efforts are being honoured," said one of the policemen.

 

Victim of road rage had married cop 3 mths ago

Ahmed Ali / Mar 29, 2022, 03:15 IST

Mumbai: Road rage claimed yet another life in the city. Ram Singh, 32, who was working in the city as a bouncer for a developer in Dadar, was killed when he tried to intercede in a fight between his nephew Raj Singh and a gym trainer, Manish Patil. 
Ram Singh had married a woman police constable just three months ago, police said. “When he reached the spot after answering his nephew’s SOS, he saw Patil had just returned and had a sharp kitchen knife in his hand, pointed towards Raj. Ram Singh tried to intervene and Patil stabbed Ram Singh in the stomach and also attacked Raj, but the latter escaped with minor injuries on his thumb,” said senior inspector Mahesh Mugutrao.
Passersby rushed Ram Singh and his nephew Raj to KEM hospital on a motorcycle. Ram Singh, profusely bleeding, was immediately taken to the operation theatre and operated on. Police said that due to blunt stabbing by the gym trainer, there were serious injuries to Ram Singh’s liver, to which he succumbed the next day. Patil told police during interrogation that Raj Singh had assaulted him first in front of his 10-year-old daughter, and he had felt humiliated and in a fit of rage had stabbed Ram Singh who had come to Raj’s rescue.
Ram Singh’s brother Shanker (in pic) said, “Ram Singh had started a new life. His wife had got a home allotted to her in the police quarters. They were planning to move there.” 
Dadar police initially registered an attempt to murder case. After Ram Singh’s death, they converted it into a case of murder. Patil has been remanded him to police custody.

₹2cr extortion: Crime branch custody for Lakdawala

Ahmed Ali / Mar 29, 2022, 03:15 IST

Mumbai: The city crime branch on Monday took custody of gangster Ejaz Lakdawala in connection with allegedly threatening a hotelier and making an extortion demand of Rs 2 crore. Police suspect alleged conman Mohammed Fasi who used to work for the complainant hotelier, Ali Raza Aabdi, of passing on the latter’s numbers and other details to the gangster.
Mumbai police’s anti-extortion cell took Lakdawala’s custody from Taloja jail. 
Lakhdawala had been lodged in Taloja jail ever since he was arrested in Patna last year and booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). 
Aabdi, owner of Sheesha Sky Lounge, complained that he received threatening calls from the gangster from international numbers in 2013 and 2018, demanding Rs 2 crore to run his business smoothly. Police took Lakdawala’s custody and interrogated him. During the course of interrogation, the gangster reportedly admitted to having threatened Ali Aabdi for extortion.