Contradicting itself? No idea where Dawood Ibrahim is, Indian govt tells Parliament

Indian government contradicts its own firmly-held position about India's most-wanted man living in Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Dawood Ibrahim, one of India's most-wanted men for masterminding the 1993 blasts in Mumbai in which 300 people were killed, has not been located so far, the Indian government said in Parliament on Tuesday, contradicting its own firmly-held position that he is in Pakistan.

Minister of State for Home, Haribhai Chaudhury, said said Dawood is an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and a red corner notice has been issued against him.

"The United Nations Security Council has also issued a special notice against him. The subject has not been located so far. Extradition process with regard to Dawood Ibrahim would be initiated once the subject is located," he said in reply to a written question.

Dawood Ibrahim chased out of Pakistan: PM's special envoy

The government has maintained for some time now that Dawood is being sheltered in Pakistan. It has also handed over several files on Dawood to Pakistan, including details about his locations in Pakistan.

Chaudhury's statement is far from what his boss, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, had said in December. "We have repeatedly asked Pakistan to hand over Dawood Ibrahim. Let's be patient; action will be taken soon," Singh had said after a western intelligence agency claimed that it had recorded a telephone conversation involving Dawood and traced his location to Karachi.

India claims Pakistan providing safe haven to Dawood Ibrahim: Report

Dawood Ibrahim is at number 8 on a list of 50 most wanted terrorists that India handed over to Pakistan in 2011. India had submitted to Pakistan several dossiers giving details about his location. Then Home Minister P Chidambaram had said that India was "aware of the street on which he lives."

The article originally appeared on NDTV