MUMBAI, Dec. 25 -- A special MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court has discharged another accused, Amjad Rais Redkar, from a 2022 extortion case allegedly linked to the Chhota Shakeel gang. The court held that the prosecution had failed to place sufficient material on record to justify proceeding against Redkar. Now, Mohammed Salim Iqbal Qureshi aka 'Salim Fruit', is the only person who faces trial. Special Judge NR Pradhan, while allowing Redkar's discharge application, said the material relied upon by the prosecution - including call detail records (CDR), witness statements and Redkar's presence at a birthday party - fell short of establishing either a criminal conspiracy or his membership of an organised crime syndicate. The case arises from a complaint alleging that the informant, a businessman dealing in catering and gold, was targeted for extortion following a birthday party hosted by co-accused Riyaz Ahmed Bhati in a Mumbai hotel in February 2021, where more than 200 persons were allegedly present. The prosecution claimed that a conspiracy to extort money was hatched at the event and that the accused were acting as part of a syndicate led by Chhota Shakeel. Rejecting this theory as far as Redkar was concerned, the court held that "mere attendance at the birthday party" could not constitute incriminating material, particularly when the prosecution itself claimed that over 200 people were present. The court noted that the prosecution sought to establish the alleged conspiracy through the statements of witnesses, who claimed to have overheard conversations at the party. The court found that these statements "lack the element of certainty as to the person who was alleged to be joint in the conspiracy" and were not sturdy enough to sustain the accusation. With this order, six of the seven accused originally named in the case have been discharged....