Mumbai: In the drug case, the L T Marg Police arrested Danish Merchant. On December 13, the court initially sent him to judicial custody. However, on December 19, Danish was again produced before the court. The court granted four days of police custody for further investigation. Police sources have revealed that Danish’s third wife is the daughter of a renowned musician. The police sought Danish’s custody to investigate his higher links, trace other associates involved in the drug case, and determine the source of the drugs.
Police have revealed that Danish owns a scrap shop in Dongri and has eight cases registered against him at the Dongri police station. The ATC of L T Marg Police arrested Danish Merchant, alias Danish Chikna Phantom (35), a close aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who reportedly managed Dawood’s drug factory in Dongri. Along with Danish, the police also arrested his accomplice Kader Gulam Sheikh, alias Kader Fanta (34), in connection with the drug case. According to Zone 2 DCP Mohit Garg, Danish Chikna was a wanted accused in this drug case.
Earlier, on November 8, 2024, the L T Marg Police arrested Mohammad Ashiqur Mohammad Sahidur Rehman (31) near Marine Lines station with 144 grams of drugs. During interrogation, Rehman revealed that he had purchased the drugs from Rehan Shakeel Ansari (23) in Dongri. Following this lead, police arrested Rehan and seized an additional 55 grams of drugs.
Upon questioning, Rehan confessed that the total 199 grams of drugs recovered had been procured from Danish Merchant and Kader Fanta, close operatives of Dawood Ibrahim. Both Danish and Kader were on the run, but after days of investigation, police received a tip-off on December 13 about their presence in Dongri. Acting on this, a police team laid a trap, searched the area, and successfully arrested both suspects, who later confessed to their involvement.
It’s worth noting that Danish Chikna had previously been arrested in 2021 by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under then-Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, who busted Dawood’s drug factory in Dongri and seized drugs worth crores. Danish had been jailed following his arrest but was recently released. The police are now continuing their investigation and questioning Danish for further details.
