Vicky Nanjappa analyses how the death of Sajid Batcha could impact the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the 2G Spectrum scam
Running a criminal syndicate of 5,000 members with strategic alliance in connivance with the Inter Services Intelligence, Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Al Qaeda, the Karachi-headquartered D-Company is an example of the 'criminal-terrorism' fusion model and poses a threat to United States' security interests in South Asia, a Congressional report has stated.
A deadly alliance is in the making in Pakistan. The Inter-State Intelligence, in fear of losing power over terror activities in and outside Pakistan, has brought the Al Qaeda, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the gang formed by India's most wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim under its control to conduct deadly operations outside Pakistan.
Alleged Hawala kingpin Naresh Kumar Jain, arrested by the the Narcotics Control Bureau, was booked on Tuesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by the Enforcement Directorate. The Directorate, which had in September booked Jain under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, is likely to seek his remand soon.
The home ministry said these individuals are operating from Pakistan and other foreign soil and involved in various acts of terrorism.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which arrested Pune blast prime suspect Abdul Samad Bhatkal, is probing the possible nexus between underworld and terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) in the case.
Underworld don and India's most wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, figures third on the Forbes' Most Wanted Fugitives list.
Fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar and his family members have moved the Bombay High Court, seeking to remove an 'observation' on their passports that restricts their travel abroad.
The top 50 list remains the same as it was the previous year, but the order has changed. The new inclusions in the list are the Pakistan Army Majors who had aided David Coleman Headley in his assignment in Mumbai.
'As Rana is not an Indian citizen, our leverage on the US system -- whether it's their judiciary or the executive -- is very limited in that sense.'
Pakistan today rejected India's demand to hand over three terrorists and criminals, including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, saying that action would be taken against individuals found involved in terrorist activities under Pakistani law.
Though the arrest of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's aides Hamza and Mufti Obaidulla came as a big setback, the D-gang has persisted with the task of rebuilding its network in the country. The likes of Kayub and Bashir Khan (Dawood's aides who allegedly helped execute serial blasts in Mumbai and who specialize in extortion) have been directed by the D-company to handle terror plots.
Indian investigating and intelligence agencies say Tiger Hanif, who faces extradition to India, managed to give them the slip for 17 years, is riding on a whole load of information pertaining to the Dawood Ibrahim-Lashkar-e-Tayiba network.
"If I had any link with him, I would not have been here. I would have been in Dubai or some other place. If I had known people like him, I would not have been cricketer," said Sreesanth on Sunday.
The US slapped sanctions on four Pakistani militants linked to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Al-Qaeda, with one of them having links to Dawood Ibrahim, for their involvement in a series of terrorist activities including bombings in the Mumbai train and Samjhauta Express.
Of late, the dimensions of battles in Mangalore in costal Karnataka have transformed, turning more on the lines of Islamic dons vs the Hindu dons than mere gang wars.
Emraan Hashmi will finally venture out of the Bhatt camp, and essay a role he has never played before an upcoming don.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday expressed "delight" at the decision of Nawaz Sharif to attend the oath taking ceremony of Narendra Modi as the prime minister while the Congress asked the new government to raise issues such as cross-border terrorism, slow pace of trial of 26/11 attacks and handing over of Dawood Ibrahim with the Pakistan premier.
Chota Shakeel, a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim, has been given the responsibility of killing Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the terror attack on Mumbai, according to Intelligence Bureau sources. IB sources have revealed that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba has asked Shakeel, a close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, to kill Kasab. Shakeel is currently hiding in Pakistan, said IB officials, under the patronage of the ISI & LeT.
The ED said that Jain's hawala (money laundering) transactions are to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion).
Underworld's role in cricket will be a matter for scrutiny in the days to come. Though there is talk of the Dawood Ibrahim gang trying to invest in cricket, Indian Intelligence agencies told rediff.com that concrete proof has not emerged as yet, but they were looking into the matter seriously.
Central security agencies have traced a local phone number from which the alleged death threat from Dawood Ibrahim gang was made to an aide of Minister of State External Affairs Shashi Tharoor. Official sources said on Wednesday the number used for sending the alleged threat SMS, received by the personal staff of Tharoor, belonged to Delhi circle and the hunt for the sender is on.
Nepal's former crown prince Paras Shah has denied media reports linking him to a fake Indian currency racket operated by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, terming it "false and malicious".
The Karachi-based D-Company run by India's most wanted fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim possibly had an important role in the 26/11 carnage, according to a report on the Lashkar-e-Tayiba released by the Strategic Studies Institute of the US Army War College, the Department of Defence. The D-Company may have provided logistical support to the LeT operatives to carry out the deadly operation, adding a new dimension to the Mumbai terror attacks, it said.
In the initial stages of the operation, the IB suspects the Lashkar relied heavily on Pakistan-based gangster Dawood Ibrahim for logistics.
In a stinging indictment of Pakistan, European Parliament has said there is 'confirmed evidence' about the country hosting several terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and criminal mastermind Dawood Ibrahim and using them as an instrument of terrorism against India.Against the backdrop of the Mumbai attacks, the Parliament of the 27-nation grouping asked Pakistan to take urgent action to 'transform its polity to prevent the continuing calls for violent jihad.
India has been asking Pakistan to hand over 42 fugitives including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, but Islamabad has refused to cooperate, Union External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
India on Wednesday said Pakistan has not responded to its consistent demand for handing over underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and others fugitives."We have consistently asked Pakistan to hand over Ibrahim and others to us. The demand has been made in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.... But, unfortunately there has been no response from Pakistan so far," Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur said in the Lok Sabha.
Several Bollywood biopics are slated to go into production. Here's a look at some of the prominent ones.
Sources suggest that in the days to come, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence would position Dawood and Ilyas in such a way that they would contribute the worst forms of terror.
Encounter specialist and former head of the Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai police Pradeep Sharma has been dismissed from his service, Commissioner of Police Hasan Gafoor said on Sunday.
'I admire the way he is able to maintain a balance between his personal and professional life.' 'I don't think it's something most of us can boast of.'
Suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative T Naseer, who is in the custody of the Bangalore police, has made a stunning disclosure that fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim is the primary financer for the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and also the Indian Mujahideen. Naseer says every terror strike carried out in India is funded by the D-gang.
The Central Bureau of Investigation approached the Saudi Arabian authorities on Tuesday to verify reports about the detention in that country of Anees Ibrahim, brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
'Cosmetic action will not cut any ice'
Noora, the brother of gangster Dawood Ibrahim has died in Karachi, police sources said on Wednesday. As per information received Noora was reportedly suffering from a kidney ailment and died in Karachi where he has been buried, they said.
Only three Indian businessmen feature in Forbes magazine's first-ever World's Most Powerful People list: Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, ArcelorMittal chairman Lakshmi N Mittal, and Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata.
A combative audience at a conclave in New Delhi on Saturday night cornered former President Pervez Musharraf over terrorism emanating from Pakistan and the aggressive leader retaliated by accusing Indian agencies of fomenting trouble in his country. He also asked India to 'overcome the burden of history' and not indulge in blaming each other but move forward with the peace process. Musharraf also evaded a direct reply to a query on shielding underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
In that case, who is Colonel R Saadat Ullah? Why underplay the fact mentioned in chargesheet that he belongs to Pakistan government's Special Communication Organisation?
Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim are not in Pakistan, Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said today.
