D-Company
{{short description|Indian criminal organization}}
{{redirect|D Company|the films|D Company (2013 film)|and|D Company (2021 film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox criminal organization
| name = D-company
| caption = Dawood Ibrahim, the founder of D Company.
| founded = 1970s
| image = Dawood Ibrahim.jpg
| founder = Shabir Ibrahim Kaskar{{Cite web|url=https://www.efsas.org/publications/articles-by-efsas/dawood-ibrahim-%E2%80%93-convergence-of-crime-and-terrorism/|title=Dawood Ibrahim – Convergence of Crime and Terrorism|access-date=27 October 2020|archive-date=31 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031113521/https://www.efsas.org/publications/articles-by-efsas/dawood-ibrahim-%E2%80%93-convergence-of-crime-and-terrorism/|url-status=live}}
Dawood Ibrahim
| named_after = Dawood Ibrahim
| founding_location = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| years_active = 1970s{{ndash}}present
| territory = Asia, Middle East and North America
| leaders = Shabir Ibrahim Kaskar (deceased)
Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar
| allies = Dubai mafia, Mumbai Underworld
| rivals =
| notable_members = Shabir Ibrahim Kaskar, Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel, Tiger Memon, Yakub Memon, Abu Salem, Fazlur Rahman (Fazal Sheikh)
| activities = Murder, extortion, targeted killing, drug trafficking, terrorism, multiple bombings,{{cite web |title=Shaikh, Dawood Hasan |publisher=Interpol |url=http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/%28wanted_id%29/1993-14193 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212010010/http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/(wanted_id)/1993-14193 |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 December 2012 |access-date=30 December 2012 }} alleged involvement in 1993 Bombay bombings
}}
D-Company is a name coined by the Indian media for one of Mumbai underworld's organized crime syndicate founded and controlled by Dawood Ibrahim, an Indian crime boss, drug dealer and wanted terrorist. In 2011, Ibrahim, along with his D-Company, was number three on FBI's "The World's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives" list.[https://www.forbes.com/2011/06/14/most-wanted-fugitives_slide_4.html "Dawood 4th 'most wanted' criminal on Forbes list"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229024710/https://www.forbes.com/2011/06/14/most-wanted-fugitives_slide_4.html |date=29 December 2019 }}. The Times of India. (29 April 2008). Retrieved 16 April 2012.
It has been designated as a Global Terrorist Organization under the SDN by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, with addresses in India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.{{Cite web |title=DAWOOD IBRAHIM ORGANIZATION |url=https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=9759 |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov |archive-date=9 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909012614/https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=9759 |url-status=live }}
Overview
Shabir Ibrahim Kaskar and Dawood Ibrahim established a criminal syndicate in 1970s India.{{cite news |title=1993 Mumbai blasts |author=Husain, F. |date=1993-03-12 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5337210.stm |newspaper=BBC News |access-date=4 January 2013 |archive-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402202717/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5337210.stm |url-status=live }}
Other prominent members of the gang include Chhota Shakeel, Tiger Memon{{Cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/its-official-again-ahead-of-nsa-talks-fresh-photo-passport-copy-of-dawood-confirm-hes-in-pakistan-2403302.html|title=Pak High Commissioner: Dawood Ibrahim is not in Pakistan, does India know where he is?|date=29 October 2015|access-date=24 August 2015|archive-date=26 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126135426/http://www.firstpost.com/india/its-official-again-ahead-of-nsa-talks-fresh-photo-passport-copy-of-dawood-confirm-hes-in-pakistan-2403302.html|url-status=live}} Yakub Memon (linked), Abu Salem and Fazlur Rahman (Fazal Sheikh). The organization has a history of rivalry with the Mumbai police and other underworld dons such as Chhota Rajan, Ejaz Lakdawala, who was arrested in Canada in 2004, and Arun Gawli.
History
In the 1970s, Dawood Ibrahim worked for a local smuggler named Bashu Dada. Bashu Dada was close friends with Dawood's father, who was a policeman. His father wielded immense clout among the gangsters and common people due to his sense of morality and justice, while also being a part of the Crime Branch.{{cn|date=March 2024}} However, Bashu Dada and Dawood had a falling-out after Bashu Dada insulted the latter's father. In 1976, Dawood – along with seven of his close friends and his elder brother Shabir Ibrahim Kaskar – attacked Basu Dada with empty soda bottles, a first in the history of gang warfare in Bombay.
After this incident Bashu Dada's key enforcer Khalid Pehlwan persuaded Dawood to start his smuggling operations, which led to the formation of the D-Company. Dawood and his elder brother Shabir, with the help of Khalid Pehlwan, began their smuggling operations. This ultimately led them to clash with the Pathan gang, the most influential gang in Mumbai at the time. By 1986, D Company had eliminated most of the Pathan gang leadership, emerging as the dominant gang in Mumbai.
In 1993, D-Company associates were involved in the 1993 Bombay bombings. Few have been jailed for it.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
In 1997, D-Company former member Abu Salem and Fazlur Rahman was responsible for the murder of T-Series founder and Bollywood music producer Gulshan Kumar.{{cite journal|title=The Mafia Calls The Shots|journal=Outlook|date=25 August 1997|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-mafia-calls-the-shots/204098|access-date=11 December 2017|archive-date=12 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212084237/https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-mafia-calls-the-shots/204098|url-status=live}}
In 2011, Indian intelligence agencies managed to link Dawood Company with the 2G spectrum case, through DB Realty and DB Etisalat (formerly Swan Telecom) promoted by Shahid Balwa. Later in March, security at CBI headquarters in Delhi was tightened after it had been suggested that D-Company might launch an attack in an attempt to destroy documents relating to the ongoing probe of the 2G spectrum case.{{cite news |title=2G: Dawood planning to attack CBI HQ? |url=http://www.zeenews.com/news695021.html |publisher=Zee News |date=23 March 2011 |access-date=25 March 2011 |archive-date=10 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110183604/http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/2g-dawood-planning-to-attack-cbi-hq_695021.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Dawood threat to CBI over 2G probe? |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-23/india/29177758_1_swan-telecom-spectrum-scam-2g |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405212225/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-23/india/29177758_1_swan-telecom-spectrum-scam-2g |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 April 2012 |newspaper=The Times of India|date=23 March 2011 }}
In 2015, a US Congressional report alleged that the D-Company was a "5,000-member criminal syndicate operating mostly in Pakistan, India, and the United Arab Emirates," which has a "strategic alliance" with ISI and has "forged relationships with Islamists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and al-Qaeda." However, the report had no political implications, and was mainly to brief lawmakers.{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dawood-is-a-terrorist-has-strategic-alliance-with-ISI-says-US/articleshow/5418149.cms|title=Dawood is a terrorist, has 'strategic alliance' with ISI, says US|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-06-07|archive-date=3 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003232824/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dawood-is-a-terrorist-has-strategic-alliance-with-ISI-says-US/articleshow/5418149.cms|url-status=live}}
Dawood was also wire-tapped by Indian investigators who found out he had real estate assets in Dubai under someone else's name.Arvind Ojha, Divyesh Singh, [https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dawood-ibrahim-d-company-business-empire-1208242-2018-04-09 Caught on tape: How underworld don Dawood Ibrahim manages his business empire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809015135/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dawood-ibrahim-d-company-business-empire-1208242-2018-04-09 |date=9 August 2022 }}, Indiatoday.in, 9 April 2018 (accessed on 30 July 2019)
In 2018, Dr Louise Shelley, Professor at the George Mason University, stated that the D-Company was now mainly based in Pakistan and had diversified its assets.[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/dawood-ibrahims-d-company-has-diversified-us-lawmakers-told/articleshow/63425953.cms?from=mdr Dawood Ibrahim's D-company has diversified, US lawmakers told] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623080924/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/dawood-ibrahims-d-company-has-diversified-us-lawmakers-told/articleshow/63425953.cms?from=mdr |date=23 June 2020 }}, Indiatimes.com, 23 March 2018 (accessed on 30 July 2019)
In popular culture
At times, Dawood Company has been linked to the Bollywood film industry, as well as real estate and betting businesses, from which it is said to derive considerable revenue.{{cn|date=March 2024}} The 2002 film Company is based loosely on its activities, as well as its sequel (prequel to the storyline) D (2005), Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), and Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010).{{cite web |title=Akshay to play dreaded don Dawood? |url=http://www.emirates247.com/entertainment/films-music/akshay-to-play-dreaded-don-dawood-2011-03-07-1.364805 |date=7 March 2011 |publisher=Emirates247 |access-date=25 March 2011 |archive-date=27 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727111500/https://www.emirates247.com/entertainment/films-music/akshay-to-play-dreaded-don-dawood-2011-03-07-1.364805 |url-status=live }} The 2013 film Shootout at Wadala is based on the rise of the D-Company. It also features in Salman Rushdie's 2018 novel The Golden House.
Activity
D-Company makes large amounts of money through extortion, kidnapping, racketeering, drug trafficking, smuggling, narcotics, and contract killings. For example, D-Company took advantage to smuggle gold and silver during Mumbai's economic struggles of the 1980s. According to Materia Islamica, they smuggled approximately 25–30% of India's total gold and silver imports. This created a monopoly that allowed their leader, Dawood Ibrahim, to set his own selling prices throughout India.{{cn|date=May 2025}}
See also
{{Portal|India|Law}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071022174950/http://flonnet.com/fl2004/stories/20030228003910800.htm Flonnet.com], "'D' Company on the run?" FrontLine magazine report, volume 20, issue 04, 15–28 February 2003
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20141108074338/http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1544569,00300001.htm HindustanTimes.com], Godfather III: The Terrorist
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070808222156/http://www.outlookindia.com/dossiersind.asp?id=542 OutlookIndia.com], Indian Mafia, their Ties, Updates and Experts' Opinions
{{Organised crime in India}}
Category:1970s establishments in India
Category:Organizations established in the 1970s
Category:Organised crime groups in India
Category:Organised crime groups in Pakistan
Category:Crime in the United Arab Emirates
Category:Organizations designated as terrorist by the United States
Category:Organizations based in Asia designated as terrorist