He taught English in Vietnam. But a trip to India exposed what he had kept under the rugs for years. From multiple criminal cases to underworld nexus, details have emerged about Akhtar Merchant, a fugitive who has finally landed in the police nets.
Akhtar Merchant was arrested at Delhi Airport in connection with a 2023 firing case in Mira Bhayandar, a suburb of Mumbai.
He had arrived in India from Saudi Arabia via Nepal. Upon his landing at Delhi Airport, a special team of the Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar police intercepted and arrested him. Fluent in English, he worked as a language trainer in that country. But behind that mask remained hidden years of crimes.
A member of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s criminal network, Merchant was arrested at Delhi Airport last Monday in connection with a 2023 firing case in Mira Bhayandar, a suburb of Mumbai. He was previously arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2022 but had fled after securing bail.
Merchant kept a low profile in Vietnam, according to the police.
The 2023 Firing Case
When extortion calls to him went unanswered, Merchant and his men had allegedly barged into the bakery run by Patel and opened fire.
Merchant had orchestrated the firing as part of an extortion attempt from a local trader of illegal gutkha and pan masala, according to police. He had even issued threats of more attacks if he didn’t agree to a settlement, police said.
