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Life behind bars is the same

None | By, New Delhi
Sep 29, 2006 05:21 AM IST

Physical appearances do not matter in the underworld. It is how you think and plan that matters," says Fazlu who was on the most-wanted list of Indian security agencies, reports Tushar Srivastava.

In a T-shirt and trousers, he greets you politely. At a little over 5 feet, the thin man wearing a black Adidas cap does not look like a threat to anybody, certainly not to anybody in the meeting room.

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HT Image

As if reading your mind, Fazal-ur-Rehman alias Fazlu, the man behind some of the biggest extortions, abductions and murders the country has seen in the last decade, says: "Do not go by the way I look."

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"Physical appearances do not matter in the underworld. It is how you think and plan that matters," says the underworld don who was on the most-wanted list of Indian security agencies. Lodged in the high-security Tihar jail, Fazlu was arrested by the Delhi Police on August 6, in Sonouli on the Indo-Nepal border. In an exclusive interview, Fazlu, in the presence of lawyer Ram Singh Baliyan, speaks for the first time since his arrest.

On Dawood Ibrahim

He is always on the move. His two main bases are Pakistan and Dubai and he is mostly traveling. I would often meet him and Chotta Shakeel in Dubai. The meetings were not planned. Though he does not take calls, Dawood was always available for me on the phone.

Life behind bars is the same

It makes no difference to me whether I am inside prison or outside it. Fazlu is one of the biggest names in the underworld. My name is enough to get things done (mera naam kaafi hai). Things are the same as they were when I was outside. My gang is still one of the biggest and is still being run in the same way from Dubai. I have got my men all over (mere ladke har jagah hain), there is no problem at all. My finances are very strong. Money will never be a problem.

Political connections

I am very well connected. The day I open my mouth, a number of politicians and ministers would be in trouble. I will speak at an appropriate time, if I have to.

From a petty criminal in Bihar to one of the biggest names in the underworld I have worked very hard all these years to reach where I am today. I would not have reached this far had I not taken risks. You have to take risks in life — luckily, for me, things worked.

It is all about planning

In the underworld, you have to plan everything in advance and in great detail. There are risks but then you get used to them. I have never been afraid of anyone.

Traveled across the world

Although Dubai was my base, I traveled through Europe, Malaysia, Nepal. My men are everywhere.

Information on underworld

I have given a lot of information about the underworld to police, including phone numbers, location of hideouts and about operatives of different gangs present here.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Tushar was part of Hindustan Times’ nationwide network of correspondents that brings news, analysis and information to its readers. He no longer works with the Hindustan Times.

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