MUMBAI: A special court under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) has refused to discharge Salim Iqbal Qureshi, also known as Salim Fruit, in a high-profile extortion case allegedly linked to fugitive gangster Chhota Shakil. The court said there was enough material on record to proceed with the trial and framed charges under various sections of the IPC as well as sections of MCOCA.
The case stems from a 2022 complaint filed by a city-based businessman. He alleged that he was targeted for ₹62 lakh after hosting a birthday party at a five-star hotel in February 2021, attended by over 200 guests. According to the prosecution, the plan to extort money was hatched at the event and carried out by members of a syndicate allegedly led by Shakil. The complainant claimed he was threatened, forced to hand over a Range Rover worth about ₹30 lakh, and made to transfer additional money after being put in fear of serious harm.
Over the past few months, the special court discharged several co-accused, ruling that there was not enough evidence against them to justify proceeding under the organised-crime law. These orders significantly narrowed the case. However, the court said Qureshi’s role was different from the discharged individuals. The court noted that the FIR and charge sheet contained specific allegations against him. The judge said he could not seek the same relief as the others because the evidence against him was not the same.
Rejecting Qureshi’s plea for discharge, special judge NR Pradhan emphasised that “courts cannot conduct a mini trial at this stage” and that the court’s task is limited to assessing whether there exists “sufficient ground for proceeding.” The judge also clarified that observations made during bail hearings do not decide whether charges should be dropped.
The court found that, if taken at face value, the prosecution’s material pointed to offences such as extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt, criminal intimidation, and conspiracy. It also held that there was enough initial evidence to suggest the acts were part of “continuing unlawful activity” carried out for financial gain by an organised crime syndicate.
With the discharge plea rejected and charges framed, the trial is set to begin on March 4. The prosecution will now have to prove both the extortion charges and the alleged links to organised crime that survived pre-trial scrutiny.