Bandra Police Invoke MCOCA Against Gangster Arif China and Associates in Extortion Case
The Bandra police in Mumbai have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against alleged gangster Mohammed Arif Mohammed Aslam Sheikh, alias Arif China, and two members of his gang in connection with an extortion and assault case registered on May 20.
The arrested accused have been identified as 32-year-old Arif China, Mawash Abdul Aziz Sayyed, 34, and Ajmal Ayub Khan, 27. According to investigators, one other gang member remains wanted in connection with the case.
The police stated that Arif China allegedly demanded a monthly extortion payment of Rs 10,000 from a meat shop owner and his son to allow them to continue operating their business. When the shop owner refused to pay, Arif China allegedly attacked the complainant with a sword with the intention to kill him. He also brandished a firearm and threatened to kill the complainant if the matter was reported to the authorities.
The accused also allegedly threatened other residents in the area, creating an atmosphere of fear. Investigators further alleged that, at the behest of Arif China, gang associates assaulted one of their own members, Mawash Sayyed, as part of a staged plan to falsely implicate the complainant and his family in a serious criminal case.
Following the incident, a case was initially registered at the Bandra police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita alongside relevant provisions of the Arms Act.
According to police records, Arif China and his associates have faced multiple criminal cases since 2016. Their prior record includes charges of attempt to murder, causing grievous hurt with an intention to kill, extortion and issuing threats using deadly weapons and firearms, unlawful assembly, possession of weapons, molestation, and the theft of public property.
Police said the gang allegedly carried out these offences to establish dominance, intimidate the local neighbourhood, and secure financial gains. Given the continuous criminal activities of the gang, the police initiated action under Sections 3(1)(ii), 3(2), and 3(4) of MCOCA against Arif China and his associates.
