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Dubai cops for closure of India Club

Dubai, Jan 27

The Dubai Police has suggested the closure of the India Club where Sharad Shetty, an alleged close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was shot dead, and asked the authorities concerned to act against clubs suspected to be involved in organised crime and intelligence activities. Major-General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, said it was apparent that some community clubs had been attracting gangsters rather than performing cultural, social and entertainment roles. Sharad Shetty, the Indian businessman, was shot dead at India Club on January 19 allegedly by Dawood's rival - the Chhota Rajan gang. Dubai Police had arrested four people - three Indians and a Nepalese - in connection with the murder. The foursome have also confessed to the crime during the police interrogation.

"We have strong evidence that some community clubs have become a fertile ground for criminals and gangsters as well as intelligence activities", Maj. Gen. Tamim was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times. The police chief said the four suspects in the Shetty murder case had obtained the club membership though they were in Dubai on temporary visit visas. He disclosed that the four had planned to leave the United Arab Emirates with marine outpasses issued in Liberia. This, he said, showed that the organised criminal gangs were involved in the murder. Sources said a list of "undesirable" expatriates with suspected underworld activities outside the country is being prepared for deportation.Top official calls for closing down India Club

Interior Ministry preparing list of people with dubious links

DUBAI - Dubai immigration authorities said yesterday they would act on a list of people suspected of involvement in underworld activities outside the UAE, once the list was provided by the Ministry of Interior, reported Khaleej Times. "The fact that a list of 'undesirable' people was being prepared came to light when a top security official urged the government bodies which license expatriate community clubs to close down India Club in Dubai in the wake of murder of an Indian investor in its premises," the report said. It quoted Colonel Mattar Saeed Bleila, Director-General of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department," Dubai Police would first send the list to federal authorities "because action will be taken at the UAE level". Major-General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, disclosed on Saturday that police had prepared the list, which would be submitted to immigration authorities for deporting the undesirable people. "The UAE will not allow the mafia to settle scores among themselves in our country," said Maj.-Gen. Dhahi

He urged UAE nationals not to sponsor visa for foreigners without carefully ascertaining their identity. Col. Bleila said that any action concerning deportation of someone considered a threat to security would involve the Ministry of Interior. He said his department would immediately carry out instructions in this regard given by interior Minister Lieutenant-General Mohammed Saeed Al Badi and Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Interior.

Maj.-Gen. Dhahi Khalfan had earlier said he had asked the authorities concerned to initiate tough measures against erring community clubs. Some community clubs in the country were involved in organised crime and intelligence activities, the Dubai Police chief said. Following the murder of Sharad Shetty, the Indian businessman who was shot dead at India Club in Dubai on January 19, the police chief had said it was apparent that some community clubs had been attracting the gangsters rather than performing cultural, social and entertainment roles.

Sources at the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry said that India Club was not registered with them because it operated under a licence issued by local authorities in Dubai. The sources said that an amendment to existing rules relating to social welfare associations would include provisions to license community organisations now working in accordance with local rules in different emirates. Dubai Police on Saturday had arrested four people, three Indians and a Nepalese, in connection with the murder. "The investigation leading to the arrests took five days, because of poor information we had, and because some (Indian) expatriates helped the suspects in hiding," said the police chief.

He said that community clubs required stricter rules and regulations and a review of the nature of their functions. "We have strong evidence that some community clubs have become a fertile ground for criminals and gangsters as well as intelligence activities. The government, in the first place, endorsed the setting up of community clubs only for social and cultural activities ," underlined Maj.-Gen. Dhahi.

The police chief said the four alleged culprits in the Shetty case had obtained membership of the club although they were in Dubai on visit visas. He disclosed that the four had planned to leave the UAE with marine outpasses issued in Liberia. This, he said, showed that the organised criminal gangs were involved in the murder.(keralamonitor.com)

Dubai Club History

The India Club was established in 1964 in Dubai. The Late Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum granted 100,000 sq.ft. of land in 1974 to the members of the Club who have constructed a modern building on it, which provides the community with sports facilities, venues for cultural events and, since 1998, a modern business and conference center.