Mumbai: Tariq Abdul Parveen, a key associate of Pakistan-based don Dawood Ibrahim, was today (July 20, 2004) remanded to police custody till August two by a special court for alleged involvement in helping the underworld to develop real estate including the illegally constructed Sara-Sahara shopping centres in south Mumbai.

Parveen, deported from Dubai yesterday, was produced amidst tight security before the designated judge A P Bhangale who remanded him to 14 days police custody under provisions of Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Parveen was arrested by city police late last night after he landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji international airport from Dubai.

He was wanted in connection with the alleged illegal construction of Sara-Sahara shopping complex in south Mumbai's Crawford Market area, allegedly made at the behest of Dawood Ibrahim by his brother Iqbal Kaskar.

Mumbai police had slapped MCOCA on Iqbal after his deportation last year. Since then he is in custody. Parveen is one of the co-accused in the case.

Parveen is also wanted along with fugitive gangster Faheem Machmach, for allegedly threatening a city builder and extorting money from him. The court has already attached Sara and Sahara shopping centres allegedly owned by Dawood Ibrahim. Some officers of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation have also been arrested for allegedly conniving in developing these illegal centres.

The land on which Sara and Sahara shopping complexes stand belong to Central Public Works Department which has taken court's permission to remove the occupants.