Terrorists bid to trigger violence in Delhi, Mumbai, major cities: NIA

The National Investigation Agency has said that it was probing a case of terror funding meant to trigger violence in various parts of the country including New Delhi, Mumbai and other major cities. NIA on Monday carried out searches at multiple locations in Mumbai and Mira Road premises allegedly linked to the Dawood Ibrahim gang.

The raids commenced early morning after alleged revelations by Dawood's younger brother Iqbal Kaskar, arrested under UAPA. Twenty-four locations were searched in Mumbai and five places in the adjoining Mira Road Bhayandar Commissionerate, NIA said. Among those questioned were the son of Dawood's late sister Haseena Parkar and Salim Fruit, the brother-in-law of Chotta Shakeel, Dawood's aide.

The probe was on terror and criminal activities of D-Company's international terrorist network involving Dawood Ibrahim and his associates Haji Anees, Chhota Shakeel, Javed Patel and Tiger Memon, according to the NIA. Arms smuggling, narco terrorism, money laundering, circulation of fake currency and unauthorised possession of key assets for raising terror funds and active collaboration with international terrorist organisations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Al Qaeda was being probed, NIA said in a press statement on Monday.


"During the searches conducted at premises of the suspected associates of Dawood Ibrahim on Monday, various incriminating materials, including electronic devices, documents of investments in real estate, cash and firearms were seized," NIA claimed.

While seeking custody of Kaskar, NIA told a special court in Mumbai that the D-gang had established a special unit for attacking eminent personalities, including politicians, businessmen and others by using explosives and lethal weapons. It also said that it was planning to instigate and trigger incidents which could lead to violence in various parts of India, including the national capital region, Mumbai and other major cities, the court filing, reviewed by ET, said.

The said case is also the predicate offence the ED cited while probing NCP leader Nawab Malik. ED had alleged a suburban prime property owned by Munira Plumber was 'usurped' by Malik through Solidus Investments, a company owned by Malik's family and controlled by him, with 'active connivance' of the 'members of D-Gang'. "For usurping the property, Haseena Parkar and Nawab Malik connived and executed several legal documents for a facade of genuinity for this criminal act," ED had alleged.

India has designated Ibrahim and Shakeel as terrorists under the amended UAPA. Pakistan, which had granted asylum to the terrorist, has officially placed him under sanctions.