Dawood is in Pak under ISI cover: Karimulla

Mumbai: Notwithstanding Pakistan's 'consistent denial' about the presence of gangster Dawood Ibrahim there, an aide arrested in connection with the Mumbai blasts on Friday claimed the mob boss is being "protected at his Karachi residence by former Pakistani armed forces personnel".

Dawood is allegedly protected at his Karachi residence by former Pakistani armed forces personnel, police said Karimulla Khan Osan Khan had revealed during interrogation.

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Khan has claimed he had seen the gangster meet with ISI officials at his Karachi residence, they said.

Khan, accused of having supervised the landing of RDX and weapons used in the 1993 serial blasts, was arrested from Thane near here yesterday. After the blasts he had escaped to Pakistan and returned in 2006.

"According to Khan, many of the absconding accused in the blasts case are living in Pakistan where they have been given various jobs," Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Deven Bharti told reporters.

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Dawood, who has stakes in many businesses in Karachi and lives in the city, is allegedly involved in construction projects across Pakistan, Bharti said.

Khan told investigators that Dawood has been making investments in the Karachi stock market as well as other international markets.

India has been seeking custody of Dawood, designated a global terrorist by the US, but Pakistan has consistently denied the gangster's presence in the country.

The gangster is also well connected politically due to his affluence and has links with other criminal groups across the world, Khan told the police.

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