It was an accurate tip-off on March 29, 2009 that led to the arrest of elusive underworld operative Rashid Malbari, who was taken into custody along with his associate Mohammed Hasin in Kasaragod of Kerala.
He was charged for allegedly planning to eliminate Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi and Sri Rama Sene leader Pramod Muthalik.
He was convicted for possessing arms under the Arms Act by a city sessions court and his sentence was set off to the term he had already served in prison as an undertrial on August 30, 2013.
While other charges could not be proved, he was held in jail as four other cases were pending against him in Mangalore, which included cases of murder, rioting, threatening a police officer and obstructing police officials while conducting duty.
Subsequently, he was shifted to Bellary Central Prison and then to Bangalore Central Prison.
Malabari hails from Kaup in Udupi district and had settled in Mumbai where he reportedly came in contact with the underworld and rose to emerge as a henchman for Chhota Shakeel, who in turn had close links to Dawood Ibrahim.
According to top police sources, Malbari was first reported as an offender in Mangalore in 1998 when he was charged with the murder of two persons in Pandeshwar allegedly connected to some gang rivalry. He could not be nabbed in the case though police had launched a manhunt for him. Thereafter, he had reportedly moved to Singapore and Bangkok.
It may be noted that Naushad Kashimji, a well-known advocate in city and a native of Bhatkal, who was an advocate for Malbari, was shot dead by unknown assailants at Falnir in Mangalore on April 9, 2009. This case is under trial before a city sessions court.
