Police hit Mukhtar-backed fish trade tycoon in Kashi

Varanasi: After Mau and Ghazipur, the jailed mafia don turned MLA Mukhtar Ansari’s wealth creators in Varanasi also came under the scanner of men in khaki with the arrest of his henchmen and fish trade tycoon Mohd Salim along with his two aides from bungalow-51 of Cantonment area on Monday.
Salim, who had given guarantee for Mukhtar’s bail 20 years ago and also contested Assembly election 2012 on the ticket of the don’s former political party Qaumi Ekta Dal, was caught after the police detected a pond full of banned species of Mangur fishes in the bungalow.The police also found a huge stock of eggs kept without having any licence for this trade.
Giving details of the action initiated against the fish trade tycoon, SSP Prabhakar Chawdhary said, “On the basis of inputs regarding large scale illegal trading of fishes, eggs and extorting money from fish traders of the district by Salim, a joint team of the officials of district administration, food and drugs administration, fishery department and police was formed. This team raided bungalow-51 in Cantonment area exposing his illegal activities.”
During the raid, the police seized 6.50 quintals of Mangur fish worth Rs one lakh, 5.50 quintals of other banned species of fishes worth Rs 1.10 lakh, stock of eggs worth Rs 2.10 lakh, cash worth Rs 59,610, two vans for transportations of fish and egg, a SUV and two motorcycles. Following these recoveries Salim and his aides including Rajesh Kumar Vishwakarma and Anand Kumar were arrested
Chawdhary said, “Facts surfaced in police investigation so far reveals that Salim was contributing in the wealth of Mukhtar by indulging in illegal trading of fish and eggs for past 20 years. Salim is not only supplying banned Mangur fish in Varanasi and adjoining markets of east UP with the help of his accomplices but was also extorting money from fish contractors and traders on trade of per kg fish. Without any registration for seeking licence he was also involved in trade of eggs.”
Salim had taken bungalow-51 in Cantt area on lease, said Chawdhary adding that in this bungalow he had created a pond to store fishes of banned species including Mangur. In view of it a separate investigation on the lease documents of the bungalow has also been started, he said.
Regarding Salim’s background, Chawdhary said that 20 years ago Salim had become guarantor for Mukhtar in a murder case, when he had applied for bail in court. Later, he contested 2012 Assembly poll on QED ticket and kept funding the accomplices of Mukhtar, said Chawdhary adding that Salim is also an accused in a case of murder attempt.