There may be multiple successors to Dawood's empire

Bengaluru: India’s most wanted terror fugitive Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar will never have a single successor to his global syndicate of blood money, terrorism and international crime, said an official source, who countered media reports on the fugitive’s ill health and his line of succession.

“Dawood is ailing but is not critical. He is a chronic diabetic but his health is under the careful scrutiny of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), which is largely funded by the fugitive's notorious ‘D’ empire.

Dawood’s business interests in India have not dried up completely. He still draws 30 to 40 per cent of his revenues by flooding Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) in the Indian market with the help of the ISI. His most recent business interest in blood diamonds from South Africa may also have connections in India, which is a major processor of diamonds in the world with almost 95 per cent of the diamonds, which are sold globally being cut and polished in the country, mainly Gujarat,” said the officer.

“Dawood is a family-oriented man and will like to distribute the largess among his family members and old trusted aides, who he has assigned to take care of his various business interests because his movement outside Pakistan is restricted. But he holds the reins to his multi-billion dollar empire. His right hand man Chota Shakeel is on the run and has moved base from Dubai to South Africa. He recruits men from India for ‘supari’ killings of Right wing leaders and extortion. His nephew Sohail Kaskar, who was handling the drug syndicate, was arrested in the US recently for indulging in narco-terrorism. Sohail is the elder son of Dawood's brother Noora and has been linked with Colombia's FARC terrorist group.

Dawood’s coterie of includes his pointman Rehmat in South Africa, Feroze Owaisi, who is a South Indian and Javed Chutani alias Doctor in Dubai. They now shunt between Zimbabve and Kenya because Dubai is no longer safe for them,” added the source.

Earlier, the news that 1993 serial blast mastermind Dawood Ibrahim is soon to kick the bucket owing to gangrene that is  spreading quickly took the Indian media by storm, prompting close watchers to wonder if a successor to the infamous 'D-Gang' may be announced soon.

Reports of Dawood's ill health went rife after doctors were seen near his Clifton area residence in Karachi. Dawood is undergoing treatment at Liaquat National Hospital and the Combined Military Hospital in Karachi as ISI, who’s protection he enjoys, is not keen on moving him out of the city.