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M D Riti in Bangalore
Muthappa Rai, an aide of Pakistan-based gangster Dawood Ibrahim, who is now in the custody of the Bangalore police, claims his life is in danger from rivals, his advocate Tomy Sebastian has said.
Sebastian said that Rai is afraid that his enemies may attack him, in collusion with the local police.
Sebastian has now appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Prisons, to provide adequate security to Rai.
Sebastian also alleged that whenever Rai is taken to court for hearings, he is followed.
Rai's next court hearing will be on Thursday. Rai is also slated to appear before courts in Mangalore and Heggada Devana Kota shortly.
Sebastian said that Rai currently is escorted by six City Armed Reserve Police constables, whenever he is taken to the court. This level of security is 'highly inadequate' in case of an attack, Sebastian claimed.
According to Sebastian, Rai believes that his enemies are constantly watching the court premises, taking note of the kind of security he is given as he travels back and forth from the jail in Parappana Agrahara, on the outskirts of Bangalore.
Police sources said that Rai quotes his one-time friend Sharad Shetty, known to be very close to Dawood Ibrahim, as one of his main enemies.
Moreover, Sebastian said that Rai is worried that some police personnel in Karnataka may collude with his enemies to get him killed.
An attempt to kill Rai has been made before in the Bangalore court premises, when he was arrested for the first time nine years ago.
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