Dawood Network, Extortion & A Bakery Shooting: How Akhtar Merchant Landed In Police Custody
For years, Akhtar Merchant maintained a quiet life in Vietnam, where he worked as an English language trainer. However, his return to India brought his criminal past back into focus, with police uncovering his links to the underworld and multiple cases registered against him. Merchant, who is allegedly associated with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s network, was arrested at Delhi Airport last…
Akhtar Merchant, an English language trainer, lived a low-profile life in Vietnam before returning to India. His past resurfaced as police uncovered his ties to the underworld, specifically Dawood Ibrahim’s network. Merchant was apprehended at Delhi Airport on August 17, 2026, after arriving from Saudi Arabia via Nepal. He is accused of being linked to eight criminal cases, including extortion, kidnapping, armed robbery, criminal intimidation, dacoity, and counterfeiting.
The latest incident that led to his arrest involves a shooting at the International Bakery in Mira-Bhayandar, Maharashtra, in 2023. Police allege that Merchant and his associates entered the bakery and opened fire on Ismail Patel, a local trader who was involved in the illegal sale of gutkha and pan masala. Merchant allegedly demanded a share of Patel's profits, threatening additional attacks if his demands were not met.
Police are probing the broader connections between the gutkha trade and extortion operations, as well as the wider conspiracy behind the shooting.
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