13 May,2011 08:59 AM IST | | J Dey
A quid-pro-quo arrangement, in which the Pakistani establishment needs the criminals as much as the criminals need sanctuary in the country, is at the root of the problem, say IPS, intelligence
26/11 attack
Zaki Ur Rehman
Responsible for planning and executing the November 26, 2008 attacks in Mumbai. He is one of the founding members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. He is currently under house arrest in Pakistan, but Pak authorities refuse to hand him over to Indian agencies.
1993 blasts
Dawood Ibrahim
The gangster has been branded India's Public Enemy No 1, and has been a guest and ally ofu00a0 the ISI for over two decades. He masterminded and orchestrated the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. His brother Anis Ibrahim and trusted lieutenant Chhota Shakeel are also in Pakistan.
IC-814 hijacking
Masood Azhar
A strong force in operating extremist groups, Maulana Masood Azhar is the founder of the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed. He was arrested in February 1994, but after his terrorist group hijacked IC 814 and took it to Kandahar, the Indian government was forced to release him.
Fake notes
Aftab Batki
A member of the underworld owing allegiance to Dawood Ibrahim's gang, Batki is the mastermind behind circulating counterfeit currency notes in India. Born in Mumbai, he is now an ISI agent responsible for circulating fake currency notes across the world.
A Symbiotic relationship between the Pakistani establishment and some of India's most wanted criminals is the reason behind so many of them being holed up in the country. Officials from a central Indian intelligence agency and the Mumbai Police say they have enough evidence to prove that the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and other agencies are sheltering gangsters and terrorists wanted for serious crimes in Mumbai.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy told MiD DAY that investigations have indicated that the Pakistani government is complicit in sheltering India's most wanted criminals for their own advantages. "These include gangsters and terrorists wanted in bomb blasts," he added. "What deters the Pakistani intelligence agencies from owning up to the criminals' presence in the country, however, is that they play a key role in their goal of destabilising India's security and economic situation," said a senior intelligence official.
'Anaconda'
Take the case of late Mumbai police constable Ibrahim Kaskar's son, Dawood Ibrahimu00a0-- India's most wanted gangster and the 50th most powerful person in the world (according to Forbes magazine) -- who has been operating out of Karachi for the past 16 years. Police sources said Dawood is respected in ISI circles because of his grip on the financial capital of India, which gives them leverage in destabilising the country's economy.
His men have access to police stations in the city and to Mantralaya, the corridor of power. The D-Gang CEO also has deep relationships with a large number of tainted businessmen and builders operating in south and central Mumbai and his right-hand man, Chhota Shakeel, can still carry out killings in the city. Dawood also has the ability of being able to arrange for manpower in Mumbai, Bangalore, Mangalore and any other city in India, besides Nepal and Bangladesh, for operations launched or backed by the ISI, in the blink of an eye. This is one feat that even Pakistan's premier intelligence agency finds difficult to match.
Dawood alias Anaconda's franchise is spread across the country and Pakistani agencies pay him to get their work done through him. Mumbai Police's investigations have indicated that Dawood is the main agent for the neighbouring country's subversive activities in India. His clandestine operations include smuggling of counterfeit notes, arming loyal groups and harbouring dangerous gangsters to act as a conduit for funds intended for terror groups. Directly or indirectly, he controls almost all the crime syndicates across the Indian subcontinent.
Thousands of gangsters have rubbed shoulders with him in the past 35 years, after he was initiated into crime on the streets of Mumbai. Unholy nexus Dawood's close links with the ISI are also partially attributed to his funding overseas education for the children of most Pakistani senior armed forces personnel and ISI officers. In return, the top brass in Pakistan outsources Indian 'jobs' to him, fetching the D Company good money.
The unholy nexus between him and the ISI has resulted in the collection of hundreds of crores of rupees, which have been earmarked for the anti-India campaign, a recent Indian intelligence report indicates. "In fact, he is an extension of the Pakistani ISI, which is using him to the hilt," said a senior IPS officer.
26/11 mumbai attacks and IC-814 hijacking
'u00a0The Lashkar e Taiba faction involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and other blasts also has links with D Company. This is mostly restricted to financial assistance, crime branch sources said. Key figures, including Zaki Ur Rehman Lakhvi, Hafiz Mohammed Sayed, Illyas Kashmiri and Major Iqbal, have been brewing destructive strategies against India from their Pakistani strongholds.
'u00a0The Jaish-e-Mohammed module involved in 2000's IC 814 hijacking are still playing a part in anti-India terror activities. Azam Cheema, a key operative, is known to be training wannabe terrorists in Pakistan and was also named in the 7/11 train blasts. Other masterminds like Maulana Mohammed Masood Azhar, Sayed Zabiuddin Jabi and Rauf Abdul are also known to be in Pakistan.
'u00a0Some Sikh terrorists still holed up in Pakistan are involved in smuggling drugs and weapons across the border into Punjab and Rajasthan.
Also on ISI's payroll
- Chhota Shakeel and Fayeem Machmach: For masterminding killings and collecting extortion money in Mumbai
- Anis Ibrahim: Film piracy and collecting protection money from cable operators and builders
- Aftab Batki: Circulating counterfeit notes in India through Nepal, Bangladesh and even Dubai.
- Tiger Memon and Mohammed Dossa: Smuggling of contraband and arms into India.
- A majority of the 1993 blast accused are also involved in providing logistical support to ISI operatives.
Dawood'su00a0network
Dawood Ibrahim operates his network of gangs from Pakistan. Members keep visiting Karachi and Lahore for instructions and often to lie low.
Gujarat: It was Mohammed Latif. now Chhota Dawood.
Goa: A member of the Tony gang.
Karnataka: Earlier Sharad Shetty, now Altaf
Tamil Nadu: Members of the Pandian gang.
Uttar Pradesh: Brijesh Singh and Munna Bajrangi.
Bihar: Muktar Ansari.
New Delhi: Babloo Shrivastava.
Nepal: Kathmandu is a base for several members of the u00a0D Company.
Bangladesh: Abdul Rauf Merchant and Aftab Batki
Did you know?
Dawood is valued at more than Rs 10,000 crore. He has business interests in real estate, betting, bullion, shipping, malls and film piracy and production, among others.
