Washington: US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents had questioned Lahore-born gold trader Muhammad Asif Hafeez and asked about the whereabouts of one of India's most wanted fugitive and UN-proscribed terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

Hafeez's lawyers have claimed, in papers filed before the UK High Court of Justice, that American Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents, who met Asif Hafeez in Dubai between 2014 to 2017, asked him about Dawood Ibrahim, Mumbai bombings of 1993, Tora Bora, the Taliban, Karachi businessman Jabir Motiwala and Ibrahim's current location.

American agents asked Pakistani gold trader to help them with information for a breakthrough on underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, according to court papers, reported The News International.

In response to their queries, Hafeez told that he knew nothing about the Taliban and Afghanistan but confirmed knowing Dawood Ibrahim as both of them were in gold trading in Dubai at one stage and used to watch cricket and sat in adjoining boxes but lost contact after the late 90s when Dawood left Dubai for good.

Asif Hafeez, according to court papers, told US agents: "I further confirmed that whilst Dawood Ibrahim was in Dubai, he used to sit in the front row of Bollywood performances and was well known in the industry. In fact, I recall that before any performance started the performers would ask him 'Ijazzat hai?' which means 'do we have permission to begin?'"

The News International further reported, the Pakistani national Asif Hafeez, according to the legal papers, when asked about Dawood's current whereabouts, told the US agents that he didn't know where Dawood Ibrahim currently was.

The DEA agents asked the Lahore-born trader for information about Jabir Motiwala, who they alleged was managing Dawood Ibrahim's affairs in Dubai. According to court papers, Hafeez told the US agents that Jabir Siddiq was a stockbroker who worked in the stock exchange in Karachi but nothing further.

Agencies