Dawood only 'paper tiger' now, claims ex-hitman

Varanasi, June 16 (UNI) A former D-company hitman Subhash Thakur today claimed the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was only a ''paper tiger'' surviving on the support of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

''Dawood is merely a paper tiger now who is surviving on the ISI support...,'' former D-company aide Subhash Thakur told mediapersons here.

Thakur, presently lodged in Tihar Jail in New Delhi, was brought here amid tight security to be produced before a local court in connection with a 1991 Arms Act case.

He was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate (II) N N Rai, which posted the case for further hearing for July 4.

The D-company hitman, who snapped ties with the don after the 1993 Mumbai blast, said ''I once used to work for Dawood, but broke away from his gang following the 1993 Mumbai serial blast. I am not a criminal, but a true patriot,'' Thakur said.

Meanwhile, district police sources here said three people who had gone to meet Thakur at Varanasi Cantonment railway station have been picked up for questioning.

UNI