The NIA has announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for information that could lead to the arrest of “global terrorist” Dawood Ibrahim, a prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, and released a new photo of him.
The NIA has also placed a bounty of Rs 20 lakh on Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Chhota Shakeel and a bounty of Rs 15 lakh each on other accomplices Anees Ibrahim, Javed Chikna, and Tiger Memon. All of them are accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case.
The NIA in a statement said Dawood Ibrahim and the others are “working in active collaboration with international terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Al Qaeda.”
The agency added they are involved in various terrorism/criminal activities such as arms smuggling, narco-terrorism, underworld criminal syndicate and money laundering, circulation of fake currency, and unauthorised possession of key assets for raising funds.
Dawood, the National Investigation Agency added, has been designated a global terrorist by the United Nations under the UN security resolution 1267 and is also listed under the fourth schedule of the UAPA Act. He runs an international terror network D Company with help from Anees Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel, Javed Chikna and Tiger Memon among others, it also said.
Dawood Ibrahim has been accused of masterminding the 1993 Mumbai blasts in which 12 bombs went off at different locations across the city, killing 257 people and injuring 700 others. Listed as a global terrorist by a committee of the UN Security Council, Dawood Ibrahim continues to evade arrest and is believed to be holed up in Pakistan.