Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, May 5: The Mumbai Crime Branch has approached a special NDPS court seeking custody of Salim Dola, a known associate of underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Dola is currently in the custody of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) until May 8, where he is being questioned in connection with multiple narcotics-related cases. The Crime Branch will be able to take custody only after court approval and once his current remand with the NCB ends.
Through its application, the Crime Branch has requested the court to issue a production warrant, a legal step that would allow them to assume custody of Dola after his NCB remand concludes. As per procedure, the agency must justify the need for his custody, following which the court may grant permission if further interrogation in other cases is deemed necessary.
Officials said the Crime Branch plans to seek Dola’s custody in a series of cases, including those linked to drug operations in Sangli, Mysuru, and Telangana.
Investigators describe Dola as a key figure in several major drug trafficking networks. His alleged involvement spans multiple drug manufacturing and distribution cases, including a 2024 seizure of 4 kilograms of MD drugs. Authorities believe his interrogation could help dismantle a larger narcotics syndicate operating across regions.
The matter now awaits a decision from the NDPS court.
Dola, 59, had been on the run for several years before being tracked down. An Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against him in March 2024 at India’s request. Over the past two decades, he has been linked to significant seizures of heroin, charas, mephedrone, Mandrax, and methamphetamine across Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Investigations have consistently identified him as a bulk supplier to drug distribution networks in India. He has also been wanted by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and Mumbai Police.
Earlier, his son Taher Salim Dola, along with other associates, was arrested by Mumbai Police after being extradited from the UAE in 2025, further tightening the net around the network.