Pakistan-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who is wanted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, “wants to return to India to face trial in cases registered against him but on the condition that he is lodged at the Arthur Road prison,” his brother Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar’s defence lawyer Shyam Keswani claimed before a Thane court on Tuesday.
During the course of a hearing of an extortion case filed against him and six others at Thane, Keswani made a “revelation” to this effect, quoting renowned criminal lawyer Ram Jethmalani in whom Dawood had “confided” his desire to return to India.
Keswani told the court that Dawood was ready to come to India and undergo trial for the cases in which he had been booked, provided the latter was lodged at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Central Prison.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate, who was hearing a plea by the Thane police seeking extension of Kaskar’s custody, wanted to know from Kaskar as to where was his elder brother, Kaskar responded vaguely saying that he did not know anything about the whereabouts of his elder brother.
Talking to The Pioneer later in the evening, Keswani said: “Dawood made the offer to return to India six years ago. While confiding in Ram Jethmalani, Dawood had said that he was prepared to return to India to face trial in cases where he has been named as an accused. Dawood wanted Jethmalani to take up the matter with the Indian Government. Dawood’s only condition was that he should be lodged at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Central Prison. The reason is that he does not want to move around the country to face trials in various cases. It is another matter the offer did not materialise".
“During the hearing of a case involving him and others, including Dawood, I mentioned this before a Thane court,” Keswani said.
Kaskar is being tried in three cases in Thane — all extortion cases. In the first two cases, Kaskar and his other accomplices have been charge-sheeted, the third case — in which the Thane police sought extension of his bail — relates to the alleged extortion of Rs 3 crore from a prominent builder.
Initially, Kaskar had been booked in this case. Subsequently, the names of his brothers Dawood Ibrahim and Anees Ibrahim were added. Interestingly, this is the first such extortion case in which all three Ibrahim brothers —Kaskar, Dawood and Anees — have been named as accused.