Tuesday, February 7 2006 14:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: CBI has filed an interim progress report in a special court of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) regarding investigations into the alleged links of Gutka barons Jagdish Joshi and Manikchand Dhariwal.

The report, filed yesterday, was tabled before the court in a sealed cover and would be opened on February 22, public prosecutor Rohini Salian told PTI here today (Feb 7,2006).

Both Gutka barons are facing the allegations of exporting gutka pouch manufacturing machinery to Pakistan via Dubai to help underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in setting up gutka business in the neighbouring country.

Earlier, CBI had chargesheeted four accused Anees Ibrahim, Jamiruddin alias Jumbo, Rajesh Panchariya and Farooq Mansoori.

Anees, brother of Dawood Ibrahim and Farooq are absconding while the other two had disclosed their alleged involvement after their arrest.

Jumbo and Panchariya had allegedly revealed that they were "pressurised" by the two gutka manufacturers to send the pouch manufacturing machinery to Pakistan to help Dawood.

Based on their statements, the CBI had summoned Joshi and Dhariwal to appear for investigations.

However, both were in Dubai last year and had initially expressed unwillingness to come to India as they had to maintain their NRI status by staying in the Gulf country for a certain period.

Eventually, they appeared before CBI in keeping with a Bombay High Court directive and were questioned.