One of the notorious episodes in the annals of Indian intelligence agencies involves the foiled 2005 plan to eliminate the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai. It had long been alleged that a group of loyalists within the Mumbai Police thwarted the clandestine operation devised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. However, former Indian Police Service officer Meera Borwankar has recently put forth a different perspective, asserting that the failure was primarily due to a lack of coordination and unjust to accuse the Mumbai Police.
In a revealing interview with India Today back in 2015, former Home Secretary and BJP leader RK Singh disclosed a significant facet of India's counter-terrorism endeavors. Singh unveiled, "An operation to eliminate Dawood Ibrahim was being planned before it was disrupted by the actions of some Mumbai cops. Ajit Doval was involved in the operation."
The chain of events that unfolded in 2005 commenced when intelligence agencies learned of Dawood Ibrahim's intentions to marry his daughter Mahrukh to Junaid, the son of Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad. Subsequent to this revelation, a strategy was devised to neutralize the underworld figurehead in Dubai. For the execution of this mission, agencies engaged the services of Chota Rajan's associates, with Ajit Doval spearheading the operation. Rajan deputed two of his most trusted sharpshooters, Vicky Malhotra and Farid Tanasha.
Concurrently, Meera Borwankar's Mumbai Police team was actively planning the apprehension of Malhotra and Tanasha. Upon detecting the presence of Rajan's gang members in Mumbai, Deputy Commissioner Dhananjay Kamlakar's team was dispatched to Delhi.
In the midst of Doval briefing Malhotra and Tanasha in a hotel, the Mumbai Police team materialized and took both into custody. This development necessitated the abandonment of the mission to eliminate Dawood Ibrahim.
During a recent interview with Mumbai Tak, Meera Borwankar portrayed this incident as a "simple case of a lack of coordination between both agencies" and emphasized the inaccuracy of attributing collusion between the Mumbai Police and Dawood Ibrahim.
She recounted the course of events, stating, "We were intercepting criminal phone calls. This occurred in 2005, a period when top businessmen in Mumbai were receiving extortion calls from the underworld, creating a tense atmosphere. We intercepted these calls, and the operation was codenamed 'Project X.' During this process, we intercepted a call involving Vicky Malhotra, who was being addressed as 'sir' by someone on the phone."
In her explanation, Borwankar further noted, "The voice of the person referred to as 'sir' sounded distinctly different, and none of our department personnel could ascertain the identity of this 'sir.' Subsequently, we dispatched a team to Kolkata and later to Delhi to effect the arrest of Vicky Malhotra and Farid Tanasha. Inspector Patil was in Delhi and was receiving direct instructions from me, as DCP Dhananjay Kamlakar had missed his flight. Inspector Patil confronted Vicky Malhotra and another individual who claimed to be an ex-joint director of the IB. He contacted the Delhi Police control room, and this news was subsequently disseminated in the media."
She continued, stating, "The former IB officer never indicated that he was involved in the operation; instead, he instructed me to release Vicky Malhotra and subsequently contacted the Delhi Police control room. In the meantime, everyone proceeded to the police station, and Officer Patil proceeded to arrest Farid Tanasha. I also contacted the senior IB officer in Maharashtra, inquiring whether he was aware of any ongoing operation, to which he responded in the negative, affirming that no such operation was in progress."
Borwankar expounded on the situation, emphasizing that the Mumbai Police proceeded to arrest both Vicky Malhotra and Farid Tanasha. She framed it as a meticulously executed operation by the Mumbai Crime Branch, attributing the incident to a mere lack of coordination. In conclusion, she asserted that it is wholly unfounded to suggest that the Mumbai Police operated in cahoots with Dawood Ibrahim.
Furthermore, Meera Borwankar revealed an exchange that occurred between herself and Ajit Doval during the course of these events. She recounted, "When I refused to release Vicky Malhotra and instructed Inspector Patil to return immediately, there was a conversation between former IB joint director (Ajit Doval) and me over the phone. At the end of the conversation, he declared, 'I will teach you a lesson,' to which I retorted by uttering the same, 'I would teach him a lesson.' I did indeed learn my lessons."
She further commented, "Yes, I received my lessons, but I stand by the decision to apprehend both individuals, as we acted with the utmost professionalism."
This entire incident has been chronicled by Meera Borwankar in her book titled 'Madam Commissioner,' particularly in a chapter named 'Extortion calls and two and a half arrests.'
