Forget about Dawood returning to India: Mumbai ex-top cop

A former top Mumbai Police officer on Thursday said he sees no possibility of the return of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim as he is in "captive custody of ISI" of Pakistan.

The gangster is the key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. The blasts left nearly 257 people dead, 713 seriously injured and destroyed properties worth Rs 27 crore.

"I am not saying we should forget his crimes but forget that Dawood would ever return to India. Pakistan will not permit it in any case. They will kill him, even if he attempts to do so. Dawood is in the captive custody of ISI," former Mumbai police commissioner M N Singh said. He was speaking at an event here.

The earlier "fear factor" of Dawood over Mumbai and the metropolitan region has gone down, Singh said.

"We must understand that these gangs get a lot of support from local politicians and even police," he said.

"I sadly admit that when I was investigating the Mumbai blasts case, I had found two police officials guilty of having nexus with such gangs. I dismissed them and it was an unfortunate thing," the former top cop said.

In the 1993 serial blasts case probe, Singh had headed the special investigation team (SIT) as joint commissioner of Mumbai (crime branch).

At the event, the police commissioner of Thane, Param Bir Singh, said, "In the case that I am investigating involving Dawood's brother (Iqbal Kaskar), I suspect some connection with local corporators in Thane."