NEW DELHI: Home minister Rajnath Singh's recent statement that the "government will bring Dawood Ibrahim back" may have sounded far-fetched but there is no doubt that
India's most wanted criminal is living in Pakistan under ISI's patronage.
Around four months ago, intelligence agencies traced Dawood's three calls from Pakistan to his associate Javed in Dubai, yet again confirming the gangster's presence in the neighbouring country. The calls also nailed Pakistani high commissioner Abdul Basit's lie that "Dawood is not in Pakistan".
Javed, according to sources, looks after Dawood's business interests in Dubai and India. Dawood was regularly heard talking to another associate, identified as Tariq, over phone from Pakistan a few months before the three calls to Javed, sources said. While Javed reportedly manages Dawood's businesses including real estate, narcotics, extortion, hawala, betting and fixing, not much is known about Tariq. Dawood's one-time right hand man Tariq Parveen was arrested by Uttar Pradesh ATS earlier this year.
Sources said "Dawood was only talking about his businesses in these calls".
The intercepted calls are significant at a time when the Narendra Modi government has asked law enforcement agencies, Intelligence Bureau and RAW among others, to adopt an aggressive approach towards the underworld don and his business interests.
According to sources, national security advisor Ajit Doval, who is deeply familiar with Dawood's ways and his activities, is very keen on tough action against the criminal, who has eluded Indian agencies for more than 22 years now. Doval, sources added, has held several meetings with different agencies to track Dawood since taking over as NSA.
The recent crackdown by Enforcement Directorate on properties belonging to Dawood and his slain associate Iqbal Mirchi in India and abroad is seen as tightening the noose around the fugitive, who lives in Pakistan under ISI's patronage.
The NDA government is looking to block Dawood's properties worth over Rs 3,000 crore as its plans to financially choke his network. Several countries including Cyprus, the UAE, the UK, Morocco, Spain and Turkey will soon be approached for action on the assets, which have been allegedly acquired through anti-national activities. "There is an effort to gag Dawood's activities by killing his businesses in India and other countries," said an official.
The government is also trying to build pressure on Pakistan to hand over the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, who is listed in UN's Al Qaida sanctions list.
"There is sudden activity in the government and intelligence circles on Dawood," said an official. When asked if the government was actually serious about bringing Dawood back to India, the officer said, "The present NSA looks very keen."
Rajnath Singh had recently said that Dawood would be brought back to India. "India has credible information of Dawood Ibrahim being in Pakistan. We will pursue and put pressure on Pakistan in tracking Dawood Ibrahim. India will leave no stone unturned to bring him back," the minister had said.
Intercepted calls prove yet again that Dawood is in Pak - The Times of India
and then the next round starts, only that it is same as the last one,, all over again,,,
