Changing stance: Don't know where Dawood is, says government

The latest admission appears to be a u-turn by the government, which in the past, has maintained that the underworld don lives in Pakistan. 

Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s location is not known to the government and once he is located, his extradition process will be initiated, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said Dawood is an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and a red corner notice has been issued against him.

“The United Nations Security Council has also issued a special notice against him. The subject has not been located so far. Extradition process with regard to Dawood Ibrahim would be initiated once the subject is located,” he said in reply to a written question.

The government has been maintaining for a long time that Dawood Ibrahim is living in Pakistan with the patronage of Pakistani security establishment.

India had handed over to Pakistan several dossiers on Dawood, India’s most wanted fugitive, giving details about his locations in Pakistan.

On December 27, 2014, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said in Lucknow that Dawood is India’s most wanted terrorist and India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to hand him over to it.

On the same day, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had said in New Delhi that India asked Pakistan to hand over Dawood as enough evidence had been given to it on the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

“We have been asking to hand over him to India for a long time. Already many evidence has been given to Pakistan. Pakistan should now act and hand him over to us,” Rijiju had said.

Chaudhary said on Tuesday that India has made requests in respect of fugitive wanted by Indian authorities in terror cases namely Willy Naruenartwanch to Thailand, Usman Ghani Khan to Saudi Arabia, Abdul Wahid Siddibapa to the United Arab Emirates, Velu alias Boopalan to the United Kingdom and Mohammad Hanif Tiger to the UK for expeditious extradition of these fugitives.