The Mumbai Consultate and New Delhi embassy of the US Government were extremely concerned at the use of an ‘American’ hotel in Dubai for the “brazen” wedding of Dawood Ibrahim in late 2005.
The US officials in India asked for action against the US-based Hyatt group for letting the wedding take place at the hotel and also pointed to chances that possible corrupt elements of Mumbai police had spoiled an Intelligence Bureau sting operation against the underworld don.
“Since Ibrahim has been a topic of effective U-/India Counter Terrorism cooperation, we believe the USG should send a strong signal of solidarity and zero tolerance by generating a demarche asking the Grand Hyatt, per E.O. 13224, where the money for the reception came from, and how, and why they chose to associate an American brand so shamefully with an Indian terrorist,” the Mumbai Consulate said in a strongly worded message after the wedding.
“We find the hotel’s judgment lacking, and its corporate parent ought to be asking some questions of its franchise in Dubai..[and made to] explain why they took money for a wedding that was likely paid for — directly or indirectly — by the most wanted man in India, a man who is also on the US government’s list of foreign terrorist entities” it added.
In July 2005, Dawood Ibrahim’s daughter married the son of Pakistan cricket legend Javed Miandad. The couple had reportedly met while they both were studying in London. A reception attended by about 250 people was held on July 23 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Dubai, UAE, it pointed out.
It also pointed out that the hotel did not allow Indian media to film the event or even get close to the hotel ballroom where it took place. “Any public appearance would have likely led to his immediate arrest, since Interpol had earlier issued a “”red corner”” notice against him,” it noted.
Pointing out that Dawood Ibrahim continues to cast a “broad and sinister web of influence” in India, particularly Mumbai, the Consulate pointed out corrupt Mumbai police officials may be behind the Delhi arrest of a Chotta Rajan aid who may have been working with Intelligence Bureau to kill Dawood.
“The Mumbai police were either unaware that the IB was collaborating with Rajan, and surprised the IB operation with its own sting, or, plausibly, some even speculated that Ibrahim was aware of the IB-Rajan plot against him and had tipped off the Mumbai police, many of whom work directly or indirectly for him,” it went on.