Fugitive underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind behind the 1993 Mumbai blasts, has reportedly been hospitalised in Karachi, Pakistan, following an alleged poisoning attempt. Despite the gravity of the situation, Pakistani authorities remain tight-lipped, and a senior journalist has claimed that internet services have been down in the country. Dawood’s reported hospitalisation is shrouded in secrecy and surrounded by heightened security.
Moneycontrol cannot verify the authenticity of these reports.
Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Chhota Shakeel, however, has dismissed these reports as baseless. "Rumours of Bhai's death are baseless. He is 1000% fit," Chhota Shakeel told Times of India as reports of his hospitalisation surfaced online.
Two days ago, unconfirmed reports surfaced that Dawood Ibrahim had been hospitalised in Karachi, where he is purportedly the sole occupant of an entire hospital floor.
Senior Pakistan journalist Arzoo Kazmi said there has been a communication blackout, revealing that the internet and social media shutdown in Pakistan has made it challenging to verify the news. Kazmi also said there is no confirmation on who was behind the alleged poisoning and that there is no way to confirm whether Dawood Ibrahim is alive or dead.
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— Arzoo Kazmi (@Arzookazmi30) December 17, 2023
Indian authorities have long maintained that Dawood Ibrahim resides in Karachi's upscale Clifton area, a claim consistently denied by Pakistan. Earlier this year, Ibrahim's nephew, Alishah Parkar, revealed to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that the underworld don had remarried in Pakistan and was living with his family in Karachi.
According to Parkar's statement, Dawood Ibrahim's second wife, Maizabin, and their children also live with him.
Governments of India and the United States declared Dawood Ibrahim a "global terrorist" in 2003. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has previously asserted that Ibrahim's D-Company maintains a special unit to terrorise India, targeting political leaders and businesspersons.
The 10th edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GIT) highlights the ongoing influence of Dawood Ibrahim and his criminal network, which includes drug trafficking, arms dealing, and counterfeiting. The report also states their global connections with terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda.
There have been several rumours surrounding Dawood’s health over the years but the 67-year-old has evaded arrest for many decades since the blasts in Mumbai killed 250 and injured hundreds.
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