Dawood Ibrahim, the fugitive most wanted by Indian investigating agencies, lives near Ghazi Shah Peer’s tomb in Clifton area of Karachi in Pakistan.
This revelation has been made by none other than Ali Shah Parkar, the Don’s nephew, according to the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate here on May 25 in a money laundering case involving Nawab Malik.
The confessions nail Pakistan’s lies about the Don’s whereabouts in the country, which have been largely in the realm of speculations. Indian investigating agencies have time and again accused Pakistan of providing Dawood a safe haven, which the neighbouring country has always denied.
The fugitive is wanted in India for 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, which had killed more than 250 and injured more than a 1000 people.
Alluding to the confessions made by Ali Shah, the ED charge sheet says Dawood sends Rs 10 lakh every month to his siblings in Mumbai through his network of operatives. Ali Shah, who is an approver in the case, is the son of Dawood’s sister Haseena Parkar. Dawood’s brother-in-law Saud Yusuf Tungekar has also made several revelations before the investigators. Apart from giving exact details of his Mamu’s (uncle’s) residence in Pakistan, Haseena’s son has divulged information about his mother’s associates and Dawood operatives, suggesting that the D-Company is alive and is operating with impunity in Mumbai.
According to the ED investigators, Ali Shah has told them that his uncle left India before he was born. They are living in Clifton area of Karachi in Pakistan. Dawood’s wife calls them on festivals from across the border. In his confessions, according to the ED charge sheet, Ali Shah has provided a good deal of information on Salim Patel, a close associate of his mother Haseena, as well.
According to the ED, his mother Haseena and Patel settled the dispute over the Goawala Building in Kurla and took over a portion of the building by opening an office there. Later, Haseena sold her possession to Nawab Malik. Haseena was a housewife, who took to settling petty financial disputes for a living. Being Dawood’s sister helped her wield influence and made her job easier.
The ED also interrogated his mother Haseena Parkar in connection with the money laundering case. Among his kin interrogated by the ED was Saud Yusuf Tungekar, Dawood’s brother-in-law. His statement was recorded on February 16.
According to the ED, 61-year-old Tungekar is living a retired life in Mazagon area of Mumbai. Tungekar in his statement has said that Dawood Ibrahim is the elder brother of his wife Farzana. He met the Don the first time during his marriage with his sister. He met Dawood only on a couple of occasions after that. He has not met Dawood since the underworld king moved to Dubai in 1987–88. Dawood’s wife Mehjabeen calls his wife Farzana during Eid and other festivals.
Tungekar has also made some revelations to the ED about his sister-in law Haseena. According to Tungekar, says the ED charge sheet, Haseena used to settle property disputes for a living and her driver Salim Patel helped her in this enterprise.
Since she was Dawood’s sister, people feared her. Although he knew what business Haseena operated, he did not have any knowledge about what her son Ali Shah did for a living.
As the ED threw wide its dragnet, further investigation led them to Salim Qureshi, who is a close aide of Chhota Shakeel. Qureshi alias Salim Fruit has been arrested and interrogated. Shekeel is a trusted lieutenant of the fugitive don, who also stays in Pakistan. Qureshi, according to the ED charge sheet, was in touch with Shakeel till 2006. He stopped talking to his relative after that because of his illegal activities.
Qureshi also visited Shakeel’s residence in Pakistan three to four times between 2000 and 2006. He stays in Phase 5 Defense Area, Clifton, Karachi. As the address suggests, Clifton is a military cantonment area.
In his interrogation, Qureshi also revealed that Chhota Shakeel used to work for Dawood Ibrahim and Dawood lived near Ghazi Shah Peer’s tomb in Clifton area of Karachi. Although he had never met Dawood personally, he knew it well that all illegal activities of Dawood Ibrahim in Mumbai were looked after by his relative Chhota Shakeel.
