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INTERVIEW:
CHHOTA SHAKEEL
"Rajan
Has Indian Agencies' Support"
Chhota
Shakeel, Dawood Ibrahim's lieutenant who allegedly masterminded the attack
on Chhota Rajan, spoke to Special Correspondent Sheela
Raval.
 Q.
You were in Bangkok between September 11 and 13. What was the purpose
of the trip?
A.
How did you know? I can't tell you the inside story, but I visited Bangkok
at regular intervals over the past three months. I left the city just
a day before my boys went to Rajan's house to kill him. I had to finalise
the operation and escape route for my boys. It was a prestige issue for
us and I wanted to check every little detail.
Q. Yet
your operation failed.
A.
I am not God. Things went wrong and we made mistakes. He was lucky, but
a coward. Instead of facing bullets like a good warrior, he ran away.
Anyway, better luck next time. My man Munna (Mohammed Salim), who is in
police custody now, is a capable man. He won't miss a second chance.
Q. Why
is there so much anger and hatred for Rajan?
A.
We have to eliminate Rajan because he is not only a traitor but is trying
to become a patriot. Apne ko desh bhakt samajhne laga hai. Tell
me, what has he done for India? He is just another gangster like us. How
can a criminal like him be a patriot?
Q. But
what difference does it make to you?
A.
It does. It shows us in bad light in the eyes of millions of Indians.
Rajan is responsible for dividing gangs on religious grounds. He calls
himself a Hindu don and says we are the Muslim mafia. The game should
be equal and fair.
Q. Your
gang is said to have the support of the ISI.
A.
Where's the proof? But we have no doubt that Rajan is supported by Indian
intelligence and protected by the Indian authorities.
Q. What
makes you believe so?
A.
Rajan's gang managed to execute many of the accused in the Mumbai bomb
blasts in the past couple of years. He had full support of the then so-called
Hindu government (in Maharashtra). And now he has been protected by Indian
intelligence in Bangkok. We too have high level sources.
Q. There
are reports that you met Rajan in Bangkok's Hotel Tara to negotiate terms
for an arms and ammunition deal.
A.
It is true that Munna had booked a room for me in Tara and I stayed there
during all my Bangkok visits. But I did not meet Rajan. Had I met him
I would have shot him immediately.
Q. There
are reports that the D- Company is supplying arms to the LTTE in Sri Lanka.
And Dawood is supposed to be one of the world's top arms agents.
A.
Ridiculous. What proof do you have? Give me at least one instance where
our men were caught supplying arms.
Q. Last
December a consignment of arms for LTTE militants fell into Indian waters
by mistake. It was intercepted by Interpol.
A.
I don't think so. I have to check. You see, Dawoodbhai's name is so popular
that it is convenient for anyone to name us for all wrongdoings in South-east
Asia.
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