Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 27 (ANI): Riyaz Bhati, alleged aide of fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, was on Tuesday sent to police custody till October 1 by the Esplanade Court here.

The remand application of the Mumbai Police had sought for a 14-day custody of the underworld don's aide. However, hearing all sides, the court granted a four-day custody and sent Bhati to police custody till October 1.

Earlier on Monday, the Mumbai Crime Branch had informed that Riyaz was arrested by the Anti-Extortion Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch from the Andheri area in connection with an extortion case. Bhati has been wanted in the extortion case filed at Mumbai's Versova Police Station.

After the registration of the case at Versova police station, the matter was investigated by the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Crime Branch.

According to the police, Riyaz Bhati and Salim Qureshi alias Salim Fruit, a relative of Chhota Shakeel, had allegedly extorted a costly vehicle and more than Rs 7 lakh by threatening to kill a businessman of Andheri.

Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Chhota Shakeel's relative Salim Fruit was also named in the FIR. Following the secret information, the crime branch's AEC team laid the trap and arrested the accused from the Andheri area.

The Crime Branch has also filed a petition in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court seeking the custody of Salim Fruit. A case of extortion was also registered against Riyaz Bhati at Goregaon Police Station in Mumbai.

Bhati is, reportedly, an accused, along with former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh, in an extortion case lodged at Mumbai's Goregaon police station. After the registration of the case, Bhati had earlier also approached the court, but the court also rejected the anticipatory bail petition at that time.

The case is being investigated further. (ANI)