Srivastava’s journey in purchasing properties linked to Dawood Ibrahim dates back to 2001. He first learned about the auction of two of Dawood’s properties in a newspaper and realized that fear was keeping people from bidding.
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A Delhi-based lawyer, Ajay Srivastava, has recently garnered attention for his unique approach to combating terrorism. His strategy? Purchasing properties once owned by India’s most wanted terrorist, Dawood Ibrahim. Srivastava’s latest acquisition is a small land parcel, originally priced at just ₹15,000, for which he paid a staggering ₹2 crore. Explaining his rationale, Srivastava said,
“I want to defeat Dawood. So, I will stay wherever he is”. I have bought all the surrounding land. Only this small piece of land was left, so I had to bid for it in a way that no one else would.”
Srivastava’s journey in purchasing properties linked to Dawood Ibrahim dates back to 2001. He first learned about the auction of two of Dawood’s properties in a newspaper and realized that fear was keeping people from bidding.
“In 2001, I read in the newspaper that Dawood’s lands were being auctioned by the Income Tax Department but people were not coming forward to bid, I understood that people were scared,”
he recalled.
The lawyer successfully bought two shops in Mumbai’s Nagpada, previously owned by the terrorist. Despite being the sole bidder and winning a court ruling in his favor in 2011, Srivastava is still battling for possession of these shops, with the case now being contested in the Bombay High Court by the children of Dawood’s sister, Haseena Parkar.
Srivastava’s actions have not been without consequences. He revealed, “After which, I got Z+ security for 11 years,” referring to the threats he received following his property purchases. His determination to “defeat Dawood” remained unshaken, even when approached by Dawood’s lawyer. “Three-four years ago, Dawood’s family contacted me through his lawyer and said ‘you should sell this property to me and tell me how much money you want’. I refused because my aim is not to earn money,” he stated.
In 2020, Srivastava took his mission a step further by buying Dawood’s ancestral bungalow. “Dawood was born there. I want to build a Hindu school like how madrassas function. And, I established Sanatan Dharma Pathshala Trust for this purpose,” he explained. While he is yet to gain possession of the bungalow, he remains hopeful of acquiring it this year.
Srivastava’s recent purchase is strategically located near Dawood’s bungalow.
“The land I bought yesterday is close to his bungalow. I have bought all the surrounding land. Only this piece was left. If this land would have gone to someone else, the surrounding areas would have lost their value,” he said, adding, “I consider this patriotism.”
The properties, situated in Dawood’s ancestral Mumbake village in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district, were put up for auction. While two of them received no bids, the others, including the one bought by Srivastava, sold for over ₹2 crore. Srivastava’s actions represent a unique form of resistance against terrorism, blending legal strategy with a personal crusade against one of India’s most notorious criminals.