Mumbai: Nationalist Congress party supremo Sharad Pawar on Saturday admitted that senior advocate Ram Jethmalani contacted him over underworld don and one of India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim's willingness to return. The offer was made during Pawar's tenure as Maharashtra chief minister and he said that the conditions put forward were not acceptable to the government.
Pawar said, "Ram Jethmalani had given proposal about Dawood's willingness to return. This is true. But there was a condition put by Jethmalani that Dawood should not be kept in jail rather he be allowed to remain in house. This was not accepted to me. How can a person with serious charge be allowed to live outside jail."
Earlier, Jethmalani hit out at the political leadership for not accepting Dawood's offer to return after 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. Jethamalani said that the leaders did not act out of fear of being exposed.
After confirming that he spoke to Dawood in the 90s, Jethmalani said those who rejected the offer may have been co conspirators.
"The government of that time did not accept Dawood offer to return as they feared they may be exposed. Obviously they had something to hide. Something that would be been exposed had Dawood returned," Jethmalani said.
Jethmalani had claimed Dawood told him that he was not involved in the 1993 Mumbai blasts and was willing to return to India to face trial but feared threat to his life. Jethmalani added that he informed then Maharashtra chief minister Pawar about Dawood's willingness to return.
"I had a talk with Dawood Ibrahim himself. Dawood had said that he was not involved in any blast as was being said and that if he was given an assurance that he would not ill-treated, he was ready to come to India and face the trial. I had in fact written to Sharad Pawar also," said Jethmalani.
Jethmalani's remarks came after Dawood's close-aide Chhota Shakeel told the Times of India that the government turned down Dawood's proposal to return.
Shakeel said, "When we wanted to come back after 1993 Mumbai blasts, you people, your government didn't allow. Bhai had himself spoken that time to Ram Jethmalani, that too in London. But your ministry... that Advani played the game."
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh refused to comment saying, "Whatever India needs to do they are doing. I won't comment on other people's statements."
BJP MP and former Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh said, "It is likely that this was possible 20 years back but as of now it is not possible. I think these are very old issues and if I see it today, I don't see any truth in this."
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