Dawood once wanted to surrender, Jethmalani claim

New Delhi, Sep 12 (UNI) Former Law Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani today revealed that the underworld dawn Dawood Ibrahim, one of the prime accused in 1993 Mumbai Blasts, wanted to the surrender before the authorities and face trial on the pre-condition that he would not be 'tortured', but his proposal was not accepted by the Maharashtra government.

Taking part in an interview with Janmat television, Mr Jethmalani, also a veteran lawyer said that the fugitive had spoken to him on telephone and he had conveyed his conditions that he should not be tortured and kept in house arrest, instead of in a jail to then Chief Minister Sharad Pawar. The CM, in turn, discussed the proposal with police, who turned it down.

He said the elusive fugitive had made made contact in London during one of his visits proposing his surrender provided that the police should not torture him in custody and face the trial in the court. Asked if he was still in touch with Dawood, the the noted criminal lawyer said "once refused, there is no meaning in contacting him again".

Although Mr Jethmalani refrained from making any direct comment upon police's refusal, he felt that they should have given an opportunity for the Don to face the trial. Dawood was ready to accept the judgement but that is not possible now,'' he lamented, adding that it was not possible now ... for this we are responsible", on the day when a Mumbai Court pronounced its judgement on the Mumbai blasts which found four members of Memon family guilty of the blasts that claimed over 257 lives and injured 700 others in the heart of the country's financial capital.

Asked if he smelled any 'conspiracy' in not bringing the criminal to justice, Mr Jethmalani remarked, "you people (media) should investigate the whole thing". "All that he (Dawood) wanted was to return to prove his innocence. But police refused to accept his condition", he remarked.

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