DNA Edit: Return of Dawood!

Evidence is fast piling up against the Pakistani government, which has been vociferous in its claims that the dreaded criminal Dawood Ibrahim isn’t holed up in the country. The belief that India’s most-wanted gangster is enjoying Islamabad’s patronage has been further strengthened, this time by his brother Iqbal Kaskar who is currently in police custody due to his involvement in an extortion racket involving local politicians. Kaskar is a credible source because he has provided several addresses of Dawood in the neighbouring country.

But, what truly takes the cake is MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s speculation that Dawood, “who is now physically handicapped”, wants to return home and is in talks with the Narendra Modi government to strike a deal. Dawood’s return, according to him, will be on the election year — a windfall for the BJP since the party will take credit for getting the fugitive back. Raj’s dwindling fortunes, notwithstanding, his explosive and outlandish observations/comments, are always fodder for gossip.

But, in this case, if there is even a faint chance for Dawood’s return, it will be a crowning achievement for the BJP and India, capping years of struggle, most of which had seemed futile till recently. It will be a body-blow for Pakistan because Dawood is a living example of how the army and the civilian government in Islamabad have cultivated non-state actors to bleed India through a thousand cuts. He should provide incontrovertible evidence, down to the name of Pakistani ISI officers and army generals.