Dawood Ibrahim is India's most-wanted criminal blamed for the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai (then Bombay) that killed at least 257 people. He is a phantom, with a presence in the Mumbai underworld for decades, but very few photographs. Not many have spoken to him.
On Monday, Dawood Ibrahim was back in the headlines over reports that he had been hospitalised in Pakistan's Karachi with serious health complications. There was a buzz on social media that he had been poisoned and killed. Those reports were unconfirmed.
advertisem*nt
There have been several reports in the past which claimed that the dreaded gangster was dead. That Dawood is rarely seen or heard in public gives fodder to the rumour mills.
Not only is it rare to spot him, it is equally rare that Dawood Ibrahim has spoken to the media.
In one of those rare interviews to India Today Magazine in 1988 from Dubai, Dawood Ibrahim reacted to the rising crime and killings in Mumbai, of which he had long been the most active participant, albeit in absentia.
In the interview, 35 years ago, he also spoke about his businesses in Dubai and tried to brand them as legitimate.
Before we get into that interview, it is necessary to recall the dreaded gangster and his subsequent role in the 1993 Bombay serial blasts. This interview was conducted five years before the blasts.
DAWOOD AND THE 1993 BOMBAY BLASTS
On March 12, 1993, Bombay (now Mumbai) was shaken to its core by a series of 12 bomb blasts that ripped through the city's heart, claiming 257 lives and injuring over 1,400 people.
This meticulously planned act of terrorism not only left a permanent scar on the city's psyche but also marked the emergence of Dawood Ibrahim, a notorious underworld don, as an international terrorist.
The bombings were a direct retaliation for the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in December 1992, which had led to widespread communal riots across the country, particularly in Mumbai.
The mastermind behind these attacks, Dawood Ibrahim, sought to avenge the destruction of the mosque and the subsequent communal violence that had engulfed his city.
Dawood Ibrahim, the leader of the Mumbai-based international organised crime syndicate known as D-Company, orchestrated the bombings with the help of his subordinates, Tiger Memon and Yakub Memon.
The Supreme Court of India, after more than two decades of judicial proceedings, upheld the death sentence against Yakub Memon, while others received life imprisonment. However, the main suspects, Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon, remain at large.
In the aftermath of the blasts, it was revealed that Dawood Ibrahim had fled India in 1986, following his involvement in gold smuggling, real estate, extortion, and drug trafficking. His departure from India was also precipitated by the murder of Samad Khan, which made him a wanted man by the Mumbai Police. Since then, reports have indicated that he has been residing in Dubai and later shifted to Pakistan.
WHAT DAWOOD SAID ABOUT CRIME IN MUMBAI
In an interview to India Today magazine in 1988, Dawood Ibrahim reacted to the killings due to gang rivalry, in which the police said he played a large role.
Mumbai of the 1980s saw gang-war-led violence spill onto the streets and rampant daylight shootings.
"This is bad. I feel very sorry about the killings. Things are getting out of hand," said Dawood when asked about the spate of gang-war killings in Mumbai. "Why these killings are taking place is up to the authorities to investigate. They are not a good sign," he added.
Trying to distance himself from the gang wars, Dawood said, "I'm sitting in Dubai. I have nothing to do with the killings. The police and the press have found a convenient scapegoat. Several times I have sought the advice of my legal counsel to approach the courts for justice. I have been advised not to do so."
DAWOOD ON HIS GOLD-SMUGGLING BUSINESS
advertisem*nt
Dawood Ibrahim was then said to have operated a Rs 1,200-crore gold-smuggling empire and also involved in a range of criminal activities.
In the 1988 interview, Dawood said he was financially comfortable and that his businesses in Dubai were legitimate.
"Any Indian living in Dubai is linked to gold smuggling. But people here are also involved in legitimate business. As NRIs, we contribute to the foreign exchange earnings of the country. In Dubai, my companies do business in trading, garments, real estate and have shares in a hotel operation,"
"I'm happy here, away from the hassles. Financially, I'm comfortable. I don't have to indulge in nefarious activities," added the dreaded gangster, trying to project a clean image.
On the question if he wanted to return to India, Dawood said, "I would definitely like to return. My roots are there. But I fear harassment from the authorities. I have always been victimised."
This was in 1988, 35 years ago. Since then there have been several reports on Dawood's D-company being involved in killings and extortion. Now reportedly based in Karachi, the crime lord has been almost defanged.
Published By:
Yudhajit
Published On:
Dec 18, 2023
Must Watch
