Mumbai Police Crime Branch Unit 9 has struck a major blow against organized extortion rackets targeting real estate developers and construction contractors in the city. Notorious gangster Zulfiqar Behleem, his brother Mohsin Behleem, and 10 of their active associates were caught red-handed while accepting an extortion amount of 25 lakh rupees from a local builder in Bandra.
Armed Extortion Threats Targeting Mumbai Builders
According to official details, the gang had been intimidating a Mumbai-based construction businessman for several days. Zulfiqar Behleem and Mohsin Behleem operated through their henchmen, demanding a payment of 25 lakh rupees as a prerequisite for allowing site construction work to commence. When the businessman resisted their demands, gang members brandished firearms and threatened him with death if the demanded money was not handed over promptly.
Special Trap Laid in Bandra on July 27
Upon receiving detailed information regarding the extortion calls and armed threats, Crime Branch Unit 9 initiated an investigation and set up a strategic operation. On July 27, 2026, officers laid a covert trap in the Bandra area. As Zulfiqar Behleem, his brother Mohsin Behleem, and their 10 accomplices arrived to collect the cash sum of 25 lakh rupees, waiting police personnel moved in and apprehended all 12 individuals on the spot.
FIR Registered Under BNS and Arms Act Sections
Following the operation, formal legal proceedings were launched at the Bandra Police Station. All 12 suspects have been booked under Sections 308(5), 351(3), 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alongside Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act. Considering the gravity of the organized crime syndicate, formal investigation of the case was officially assigned to Crime Branch Unit 9.
Court Remands Accused to Police Custody Until July 31
All 12 arrested individuals were produced before the relevant judicial court. Seeking time to interrogate the gang members regarding their operational network and recover weapons, police requested custody. The court granted police custody for all 12 accused until July 31, 2026.
Investigation Into Financial Links and Inter-City Network
Initial interrogation reveals that the Zulfiqar Behleem gang systematically targeted builders, developers, and local civic infrastructure contractors, using firearms to enforce illegal financial demands. Investigators are now analyzing the gang's financial transactions, bank records, potential accomplices, and whether similar extortion demands were made to other businessmen in Mumbai or outside the city limits.
