Return of the don

If Veerappan of the Satyamangalam forests could dominate the headlines for over 16 years through nefarious activities of every description a...

If Veerappan of the Satyamangalam forests could dominate the headlines for over 16 years through nefarious activities of every description and still evade the long arm of the law, the not-so-honourable members of Mumbai’s D-Company can give the bandit a run for his money.

For over a decade, Dawood Ibrahim and his cohorts have figured in this country’s list of the ‘Most Wanted’, specifically with regard to their direct involvement in the Bombay blasts of 1993. It is a testimony to the D-Company’s legendary ability to work the system at the international level that they have escaped being brought to account thus far.

But every mafia don has his day. Last Tuesday, Anees Dawood, the brother of chief don Ibrahim Dawood, was picked up by the Dubai police. The Indian authorities claim that this was because of a red-corner notice issued by the Interpol against him, but this arrest may never have happened before 9/11 alerted the world to the ever-present threat of a subterranean world, where criminal syndicates and terrorist networks mesh seamlessly.

In the case of the Dawoods, the fact that Pakistan has chosen to patronise them has worked immeasurably to their advantage. Bringing Anees Ibrahim back home to face justice may therefore prove far more difficult than getting an Aftab Ansari or a Muttappa Rai deported. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for Indian authorities to presume success prematurely. Take the case of Abu Salem — who, incidentally, started his criminal career as Anees Ibrahim’s odd jobs boy. The man is still is Lisbon, despite persistent claims by the ministry of home and the CBI that he would be deported to India in a jiffy.

There is, therefore, no room for complacency. While India must be scrupulous about presenting the required evidence and fingerprints in order to get Anees Ibrahim, the Dubai authorities must display a sensitivity to the Indian demand for his deportation, given that this country has an extradition treaty with the UAE. The point is that an undue emphasis on the letter of the law in such matters could result in the criminal emerging the winner. And in today’s world of globalised terror, this is a luxury the world can ill afford.