India, June 13 -- A special MCOCA court has granted bail to Salim Maharaj, an alleged aide of gangster Ejaz Lakdawala, in a 2011 firing and extortion case registered by the Mumbai crime branch. The court noted that there were no direct threats or extortion by Maharaj, or any material to show that he was connected to Lakdawala.

Maharaj was arrested in October 2020 based on an alleged confessional statement made by Lakdawala. As per the prosecution, Maharaj allegedly provided information to Lakdawala who then extorted Rs.50 lakh. In his confession, Lakdawala said that he and Maharaj had been in touch since 2019 and he had given Rs.25 lakh from the extortion money to Maharaj.

Advocate Wasim Prandarwala, representing Maharaj, argued that he...