Sources have said that Zakir Hussain Shaikh, 45, who was picked up from Jogeshwari on September 18, was working at the behest of his brother Sageer Shaikh, an aide of Chhota Shakeel. Sageer is currently in Karachi and was roped in for the terror plot as he had not done any work for the Dawood gang for a long time. ATS has found that Zakir was in touch with one Anthony. That man is none other than Sageer.

Mumbai police had arrested Sageer and a few men working for Shakeel in 1998 for the murder of one Farooq Batatawala. At that time, Sageer's brothers Zakir and Sadik had a flourishing artificial jewellery business. They apparently provided help to Sageer when he was in jail.