Summary
Abdul Latif Khan (24 October 1951 – 29 November 1997) was an underworld figure and terrorist from the Gujarat state of India and an associate of Dawood Ibrahim.
Abdul Lateef | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Abdul Latif Khan 24 October 1951 Kalupur, Ahmedabad, India |
| Died | 29 November 1997 (aged 46) |
| Cause of death | Encounter killing |
| Occupation(s) | Bootlegger, Mob Boss, Terrorist |
| Conviction(s) | Murder, kidnapping |
| Criminal charge | Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act |
| Penalty | Served 2 years |
He was based in Ahmedabad and was politically well connected.[1] He used to wait on tables in gambling dens where he started serving liquor as a teenager.[2] He became a bootlegger and eventually monopolised the illegal liquor business in Gujarat. Latif was wanted for over 100 cases of murder, contract killing, extortion, rioting, kidnappings, smuggling, bootlegging and was also wanted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. There were 243 cases against his gang including 64 murders and 14 kidnappings. The incident that highlighted Latif was the "Odhav Shootout". Latif wanted rival bootlegger Hansraj Trivedi to buy liquor from his gang. As Trivedi refused to be cowed down, Latif led two attacks on the gymkhana. In the second attack on 3 August 1992, automatic weapons, including sten guns and revolvers, were used. The court relied on confessional statements made by some of the accused under section 15 of the Terrorist and Anti Disruptive Activities Act. Special public prosecutor SV Raju appeared for the state. The court convicted nine persons and sentenced eight with life imprisonment and fine, while one Jehangir Patel, who provided arms to the Latif Gang, was given a sentence of seven years. Main accused Liyakat Hussein alias master Khudabax Shaikh, was given lifer with a condition that it shall not be less than 20 years. He was further convicted under several other sections.[3]
He was the main culprit in supplying RDX used in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. He was arrested in 1995 in Delhi and housed at the Sabarmati jail pending trial. In November 1997, Latif was shot dead in a police encounter in Ahmedabad.[4] In 2014, one of Latif's sons contested the assembly election with Samajwadi Party against Shanker Singh Vaghela, the former Chief Minister. Latif's other son had contested against Vaghela in 2009.[5]
The 2017 Bollywood film Raees is said to be based on Latif's life.[6][7] In April 2016, Latif's son filed a lawsuit for defamation against the makers of the film, saying the film misrepresented his father. Shaikh's lawyer said that the 97 cases lodged against Latif were for bootlegging and other serious offences under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, but he did not run a brothel or use women for delivery in his bootlegging operations, as depicted in the film. The film was declared to be a work of fiction.[8][9]
References edit
- ^ Latif was state BJP's first whipping boy
- ^ "A don run to ground: The Gujarat underworld kingpin's arrest could provide vital clues to the working of Dawood Ibrahim's network". India Today. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Abdul Latif goes to Bollywood". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Rediff On The NeT: Dawood henchman Abdul Latif shot dead". Rediff.com. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Latif shadows Vaghela once more". Times of India. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "Gangsta glam". Asian Age. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Before Shah Rukh Khans Raees: Who was Abdul Latif, the real Raees?". India Today. 7 December 2016.
- ^ "Raees: Is Shah Rukh Khan' character inspired by gangster Abdul Latif? Makers say no". The Indian Express. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ "'Raees' claims it isn't about Abdul Latif, but who was he? For one thing, he almost killed Dawood". Scroll.in. Retrieved 8 December 2016.