Dawood’s brother detained in Jeddah

CBI awaits Interpol confirmation that Anees was held with fake passport

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Anees Ibrahim, wanted by the Indian police along with his elder brother and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in connection with the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai, was reportedly detained at the Jeddah airport on Tuesday for travelling on a fake passport.

According to reports, Anees was detained along with two of his associates, Chhota Dawood and Salim Chiplumi, by the authorities in the coastal city of Saudi Arabia.
Sources in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said they were in touch with Interpol’s Riyadh unit to confirm Anees’ detention. “We have also heard about the detention of Anees Ibrahim and two of his associates and we are in touch with Interpol to confirm it. So far, there has been no confirmation…we are waiting,” said a senior CBI officer who was part of the investigations in the 1993 serial blasts.

Rakesh Maria, joint commissioner of police (crime), Mumbai, said: “We haven’t received any official confirmation regarding the detentions yet. Whatever information we are getting is through sources. So far we have learnt, unofficially, that three people have been detained at the Jeddah airport. We are trying to confirm who they are and their reason for detention.”

Maria is credited with cracking the 1993 serial blasts case.

This is the fourth time that reports of Anees’ detention or arrest have been received after the 1993 serial blasts. The Indian authorities had failed to get confirmation on the earlier three occasions.

At least 250 people died and more than 700 suffered injuries when bombs went off in 13 different spots across Mumbai on March 12, 1993, three months after the demolition of the Babri Masjid and ensuing riots in the country’s financial capital.

Anees, according to police, played an active role with the help of Pakistani intelligence agencies in planning and smuggling explosives and arms into India to carry out the 1993 blasts.

He is also wanted for taking youths from India to Dubai and later sending them to Karachi for arms training. “The youth were later shifted to Mumbai for carrying out the gruesome attacks,” a senior CBI officer said.

Anees has nearly 70 cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, kidnapping for ransom pending against him in Mumbai and several other cities in India.

Anees’ name also figured on the list of 20 most-wanted persons handed over to Pakistan by Indian authorities a few years ago. Indian intelligence agencies believe that both Dawood and Anees have been given shelter by Pakistan.

Anees, whom sources in the underworld describe as a soft-spoken man, joined Dawood’s operations after the killing of his elder brother Shabbir by a rival gang.

In 1986, Anees was arrested under the Arms Act charge, but he managed to get bail within weeks. After this, he spent much of his time investing heavily in real estate and other businesses in Mumbai.

Anees, however, fled from India to Dubai in the early 90s. In 1996, he was arrested on a narcotics-related charge in Dubai. In 1997, he was again detained for the murder of rival Irfan Goga on the basis of allegations made by the gangster’s wife.

He was also arrested in Bahrain in the late 90s but was later shifted to Dubai, where he was released.

He was detained in Dubai in 2002 and then deported to Pakistan despite the CBI sending an extradition request.

In the past few years, differences had cropped up between Anees and Chhota Shakeel, Dawood’s most trusted lieutenant, over control of the gang.

In 2006, as many as 10 members of the gang were deported to India from Dubai. All those who were deported were said to be Shakeel’s men and there were rumours that Anees had tipped off the police about their whereabouts.