Ex-scribe fails to pay for Dawood property - Unable to gather money to purchase underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's property Hotel Raunak Afroz located at Pakmodia Street in South Central Mumbai, former journalist S Balakrishnan's 'earnest money deposit' of Rs 30 lakh was forfeited on Thursday.

Balakrishnan, who runs the NGO Desh Sewa Samiti, had approached the competent authority of Safema (Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Properties) Act) requesting them to extend the payment deadline by one month. But, the officials refused to extend the deadline beyond 5 pm.

Balakrishnan said that "Because of a lot of holidays, I only had 20 working days to arrange for the remaining money. I contacted at least 70 big businessmen from Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru and urged them to contribute for the cause, but they were too scared to chip in."

Criticizing the Safema authorities, Balakrishnan said the officials refused to open the shutter of the hotel and allow me to inspect the property after my winning bid and even I was not permitted to inspect any files pertaining to the property. When I requested extension of deadline in writing, they rejected the request verbally.

Balakrishnan has decided to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley urging them to set up a police station at the property with his forfeited money.