Tuesday, May 17 2005 12:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court has granted permission to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe the hawala transaction in the gutka scam, which involves gutka barons, Rasiklal Dhariwal and J M Joshi.

Designated Judge A P Bhangale last week allowed the ED to interrogate Jamiruddin Kalia alias Jumbo who had allegedly spilled the beans against the gutka barons.

Jumbo's lawyer S B Keswani told sources that the ED would be interrogating his client this month.

Jumbo had told police in his confessional statement that in 1992-1993, he had paid money to certain people in the city on behalf of Dawood's brother Anees.

ED wants to question Jumbo on this aspect, said Keswani.

Jumbo had claimed during interrogation that Joshi and Dhariwal had alleged links with the underworld and that they had sought the help of Pakistan-based don Dawood Ibrahim to settle their business dispute.

Jumbo had also told the police that both the gutka kings had helped Dawood's brother Anees in establishing gutka business in Pakistan and also exported pouch-making machinery to Pakistan via Dubai.