In a significant step in the war on terror, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh on fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the most-wanted man of India, who is designated 'global terrorist' by the United Nations.
Besides Dawood Ibrahim alias Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar alias Dawood Bhai, the NIA also announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for his lieutenant alias Javed Chikna and Shakeel Shaikh alias Chhota Shakeel.
Others on whom the NIA has announced a reward of Rs 15 lakh each is his brother Haji Anees alias Anees Ibrahim Shaikh, Ibrahim Mushtaq Abdul Razzaq Memon alias Tiger Memon, Javed Patel alias Javed Chikna and Shakeel Shaikh alias Chhota Shakeel.
"They are involved in various criminal/terrorism activities such as arms smuggling, narco-terrorism, underworld criminal syndicate, money laundering, circulation of FICN, unauthorised possession/acquisition of key assets for raising terror funds," the NIA said.
According to an NIA note, they are working in active collaboration with international terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and al Qaeda.
The list included wanted in connection with the 12 March 1993 serial blasts of Mumbai in which 256 people were killed, 713 injured and property to the tune of Rs 26 crore was damaged.
All these suspects are mostly based in Pakistan and frequent Gulf nations.
It may be mentioned, that in February, the agency had registered a case against the members of the Dawood gang, also known as the D-company.
In fact, Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Menon figure as No 1 and No 2 wanted accused, respectively, in the Mumbai serial bombing case.