"NIA raids begin at several locations on the premises of associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. Raids are being done in Nagpada, Goregaon, Borivali, Santacruz, Mumbra, Bhendi Bazar, and other places," as said by National Investigation Agency (NIA) to news agency ANI.
Several Hawala operators and drug peddlers were associated with Dawood and NIA had registered in this regard in February.
Earlier, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a case against underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) the agency said. Spokesperson Sanyukta Parashar confirmed to ANI that a case has been registered against Dawood and others.
The agency filed the case based on a recent order received from the Ministry of Home Affairs to register a case
Subsequently, sources said, the anti-terror agency filed a case under UAPA against Dawood and others.
It is learnt that a special team, led by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank officer in the NIA along with a Superintendent of Police, will probe the case.
In the FIR, sources said, names of Dawood and several of his associates have been named mentioning their roles in terror activities against India through various means, including pumping hawala money.
NIA's move comes just one month after India's Permanent Representative TS Tirumurti while speaking at the International Counter-Terrorism Conference 2022, had said that linkages between terrorism and transnational organised crime must be fully recognised and addressed vigorously. This was deemed as a veiled reference to Dawood Ibrahim believed to be hiding in Pakistan.
"Linkages between terrorism and transnational organized crime must be fully recognized and addressed vigorously. We have seen the crime syndicate responsible for the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts not just given state protection but enjoying 5-star hospitality," Tirumurti had said.
Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is India's 'most wanted' fugitive.On March 12, 1993, a series of 13 bomb explosions ocurred in Mumbai killing 257 people and injuring over 713 others. The attacks were planned by Dawood Ibrahim.
*with inputs from agencies
