BJP-led government red-faced over Dawood Ibrahim, to clarify in Lok Sabha today

NEW DELHI: The BJP-led government on Wednesday reiterated a reply given by the previous UPA regime earlier in Parliament that Dawood Ibrahim “had not been located so far”. The answer left the home ministry, which has asked Pakistan to hand over Dawood to India, red-faced and a clarification will be made in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. “The subject has not been located so far.

Extradition process with regard to Dawood would be initiated once the subject is located,” MoS for Home HP Chaudhary said in a written answer to BJP MP Nityanand Rai. This was the same answer given by then MoS for Home Mullappally Ramachandran in Parliament on May 7, 2013, MHA officials said, adding the present reply was prepared “in consultation with MEA.”

However, the government realised that the drafting of the answer was “inappropriate” as the ministry has repeatedly demanded that Pakistan should hand over Dawood to India and has submitted numerous dossiers to Pakistan with proof that Dawood was located in that country. The US and India have repeatedly said Dawood is in Pakistan, with his various addresses, including the one in Karachi, being mentioned on the Interpol website.