Hacker seeks CBI probe into alleged Dawood-Khadse calls

Mumbai, May 30

A Gujarat-based person, who claims to have hacked the call records of Dawood Ibrahim, today filed a petition in Bombay High Court seeking protection for himself and CBI probe against Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse for alleged calls between him and the underworld don.

The HC, however, said there was no urgency for a vacation bench to hear the petition.

Vadodara-based hacker Manish Bhangale's advocate mentioned the petition today before the vacation bench of justices B R Gavai and B P Colabawalla and sought urgent hearing while claiming that the petitioner has been receiving death threats.

The bench, however, said there was nothing urgent in the petition. It directed the petitioner to mention the petition before the regular bench once the high court resumes after vacation on June 6.

Bhangale claims to have hacked the authentication process of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd in April this year from which he acquired the telephone records of underworld fugitive Dawood Ibrahim.

According to Bhangale's petition, the information also includes alleged phone calls between Dawood and Maharashtra Revenue Minister Khadse.

According to the petition, Bhangale then tried to get in touch with the Prime Minister's office and the office of National Security Adviser, but in vain.

“After media broke the news, I was approached by Mumbai Police's crime branch which took all information from me but till date there has been no case registered or action taken," the petition states.

The petition alleges that Bhangale fears all the information he has provided to the police may be sabotaged.

"Instead of recording statements and perusing evidence, the state government and police have shown haste in giving clean chit to the minister. The global data of telephone numbers gathered by me (petitioner) from the telephone bills of Dawood Ibrahim has the potential of exposing his financial empire ranging from films to cricket betting," the petition claims.

Bhangale has requested the HC to constitute a special team of CBI to probe the matter and submit periodical reports to the court.

He has also sought protection for himself as he fears a threat to his life.

The Aam Aadmi Party had recently demanded ouster of Khadse, alleging that calls were made from Dawood's residence in Karachi to his mobile phone, a charge the minister rubbished as "baseless" saying the phone number was not in use for last one year. — PTI