Mumbai : Former journalist S Balakrishnan has won the bid for underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s restaurant in Mumbai. Balakrishnan’s Desh Seva Samiti had put the highest bid of Rs 4.28 crore for the property.

Delhi’s Zaika Restaurant was owned by Dawood Ibrahim, the wanted mastermind of 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case. The restaurant was one of the seven properties of Dawood that went under the hammer.
Last week, Balakrishnan had told India Today that he was getting threats from Dawood’s aide Chhota Shakeel for bidding for the don’s property.

“I received an SMS from Shakeel. He said You are taking part in the auction. What happened to you? I hope you are okay,” Balakrishnan has said.

“This is their style of saying – keep off. I am bidding on behalf of my NGO Desh Seva Samiti which works for child welfare and women’s empowerment. We will run English speaking and computer training institute at the place. It will be named after great patriot Ashfaqullah Khan. He should be the role model for kids, not Dawood,” he had said.