HYDERABAD: Police are verifying reports that Mohd. Abid Hussain alias Ali Bhai -- the alleged mastermind behind several kidnaps -- who was arrested by city police, has links with mafia don Dawood Ibrahim.

This follows reported confessional statement of Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Qayyum Shaik, arrested by Mumbai police a couple of weeks ago, that Ali Bhai of Hyderabad used to contact them regularly. It is learnt that Shaik said Ali Bhai used his mafia network for planning and executing the abductions.

Hailing from city, Ali Bhai went to Dubai 10 years ago and was operating from there. He used to hire unemployed youngsters by offering Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 a month for his operations.

"While in Dubai, he sought assistance of D-gang. But how far Dawood Ibrahim's men had direct role in the kidnaps executed by Ali Bhai is yet to be ascertained," a police officer said. Police hope interrogation of Ali would help if the D-gang was involved in any other crime in city.

Land disputes

Meanwhile, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Balwinder Singh told reporters on Monday that Ali Bhai tried to take the help of `lady don' Farah for settling some land disputes in and around the city.

This he did because he was badly in need of money to secure release of his brother Nihal from jail. This is being verified, the Commissioner said.

No direct link

The alleged kingpin in many kidnaps had two passports, one in his original name and the other with a fictitious name of Syed Hafiz Hussain.

Ali Bhai was not directly involved in abductions and used to operate from Dubai through mobile phones. This is making it difficult for the police to connect him to the crime and prove his complicity.

Police arrested 12 out of the 16 accused persons in the case of a schoolgirl Sumedha, who was kidnapped by Ali Bhai's gang in 2001from Jubilee Hills.

Out of the 12 accused persons, 10 were acquitted of the charges while two jumped bail.

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