New Delhi: The underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who is accused of masterminding the 1993 Mumbai blasts and several other crimes, has been reportedly poisoned and killed in Pakistan. However, there is no official confirmation from either Pakistan or Indian agencies about his death. The news has sparked a lot of discussion and speculation in both India and Pakistan about his fate and his empire.
Dawood Ibrahim, who fled to Pakistan after the 1993 blasts, has been running his illegal businesses in India and around the world from there. According to Forbes in 2015, Dawood had total assets of $ 670 crore (Rs 55,610 crore), which came from sources like murder, smuggling, ransom, prostitution, drugs, gambling, illicit liquor, etc. He also had more than 50 properties in the UAE and UK. 40% of his total wealth came from India.
The question that arises now is who will take over Dawood’s empire after his death. According to senior journalist Jitendra Dixit, who covers underworld news, Dawood’s brother Anees Ibrahim will be the successor of his empire. Anees Ibrahim has been looking after Dawood’s business even when he was alive. However, Anees Ibrahim is not on good terms with Chhota Shakeel, another key member of Dawood’s gang. It is not clear what role Chhota Shakeel will play in the post-Dawood scenario.
Dawood’s children, on the other hand, are completely away from his underworld activities. Dawood has three daughters and one son. His son Moeen Ibrahim is a spiritual person and has no interest in his father’s business. His family runs a hotel business. One of his daughters has died, while the other two are married in Pakistan. His second daughter is married to Javed Miandad’s son Junaid.
Javed Miandad, who is Dawood’s cousin and a former Pakistani cricketer, is one of Dawood’s close relatives in Pakistan. There are also rumours that Javed Miandad has been put under house arrest in Pakistan after Dawood’s death. However, this has not been verified yet.
The news of Dawood’s death is still a rumour until there is an official statement from either Pakistan or Indian agencies. Javed Miandad, who is a close relative of Dawood, is expected to give a formal statement on this matter. Until then, the news circulating on social media is nothing more than a rumour.
