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Romesh Sharma arrested in another case

Politician Romesh Sharma, linked with gangster Dawood Ibrahim, has been arrested in yet another case, this time for hatching a criminal conspiracy to kill gangster Babloo Srivastava in Allahabad's Naini jail and extort money, the police said today.

Delhi's Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Karnal Singh said the contents of a telephone conversation Sharma had with Dawood's aide had revealed that he had conspired with Abu Salem to kill Srivastava, an enemy of the don.

The two fresh cases against Sharma today takes to 16 the number of cases filed against the politician who was nabbed last month.

Right now, he is on a three-day police remand on the basis of a complaint from a person from whom he allegedly usurped a property in Connaught Place.

According to Karnal Singh, the crime branch knew of Sharma's close links with Dawood and that he was in regular touch the don's men over mobile phone.

The staff of the anti-kidnapping cell led by Inspector Ishwar Singh tapped his phones and one conversation revealed a conspiracy was being hatched to kill Srivastava.

Dawood has had his knife in Srivastava ever since he killed one of the don's close aides, Mirza Dilshad Beg, in Nepal.

Sharma had also identified a few leading businessmen from whom Abu Salem could extort money. Abu Salem threatened one of them, Vinay Singh, proprietor of Lucky Export.

Sharma, a former Congressman with connections in high places, allegedly extorted property worth billions, stealing a helicopter, keeping pelts of endangered animals, and confining people in his house.

EARLIER REPORT:
CBI to probe issue of passport to Dawood's mother

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