UK court denies bail to Dawood aide

A judge in London has denied bail to Jabir Motiwala, aka Jabir Siddiq, believed to be a key aide of Dawood Ibrahim.

He was arrested by London’s metropolitan police last week, following an extradition request by the US.

Following the hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, at which the documentation and warrant were discussed, Judge Margot Coleman denied bail referring to the “very very serious allegations” faced by Motiwala — who was referred to as Mr. Moti in court.

The judge said she was not convinced to grant him bail on the grounds that he could fail to appear in court in future or commit further offences.

He is to appear in court on August 28. A further application for bail can be made that day.

During the hearing, the prosecution barrister pointed to the charges faced by Motiwala, including conspiracy to launder money, and extortion linked to terrorist offences as well as drug trafficking.

The estimated amount believed to be laundered by him is $1.4 million.

Links with D-Company

While Ibrahim was not mentioned during the hearing, the prosecution referred to Motiwala as a “senior member” of the D-Company, who reported directly to the leader of the Company and acted on his behalf.

The D-Company is a criminal and terror syndicate, set up by Dawood. Motiwala was closely monitored by the FBI since 2005, including the work of undercover agents in the US and Pakistan.

“He was due to leave the UK on August 22 and there was a high risk that he would leave, if allowed bail,” he said.

The defence insisted that the serious allegations were all disputed, and he had never been involved in criminal charges in any jurisdiction in the past, and it would be in his interest to stay in the UK and fight his case.

Earlier in the hearing, the defence had sought to clear the public gallery from media, raising concerns about his client’s safety. The request was denied by the judge.

Ibrahim is the key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts that killed 257 people and injured over 700.

Motiwala was arrested in the Paddington area of central London on Friday by the metropolitan police’s extradition unit, in relation to an allegation of “conspiracy to commit blackmail, import class A drugs and money laundering in the USA,” police said on Monday.

“A warrant had been issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where he appeared later on Friday, and is due to appear again on Tuesday,” police said.

The arrest follows a number of recent developments in closing in on members of the D-Company.

Earlier this year, Yasin Mansoor Mohammed Farooq, aka Farooq Takla, 58, also an aide of Ibrahim’s, was extradited to India by the United Arab Emirates.

In early August, a Thai court ordered the extradition of an aide of Ibrahim’s former associate Chhota Shakeel, PTI reported.

India believes Ibrahim to be in Pakistan. Britain’s consolidated list of financial sanctions targets updated earlier this month lists three addresses for Ibrahim, all in Karachi, including one described as a “palatial bungalow.” He first appeared on the list in 2003.

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