The Maharashtra government on Thursday said it would hand over the case of the gutkha barons' alleged links with the underworld to the Central Bureau of Investigation in two days.

"CBI will take over the case as the accused are out of the country," Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said.

Rasiklal Dhariwal of Manikchand Gutkha and J M Joshi of Goa Gutkha were alleged to have links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Patil, who also holds the home portfolio, said CBI officials had met the Mumbai police on Wednesday regarding the case.

He alleged that Dhariwal and Joshi gutkha kings had met Dawood to resolve a financial dispute in 1999 when the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power.

"This was only revealed in October, 2004 during the interrogation of Jamruddin and Rajesh Panchariya after they were arrested for illegal possession of weapons and extortion," added Patil.

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