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Mumbai, May 17 (IANS) Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who is known for his controversial opinions, has now said that he doesn’t feel that the internationally designated terrorist and the leader of organised crime, Dawood Ibrahim was fully involved in the Mumbai serial blasts of 1993.

The filmmaker recently spoke with author and crime journalist S. Hussain Zaidi on his podcast, and shared his controversial opinion claiming that although there is material evidence or circumstantial evidence against Dawood Ibrahim, they haven’t been proven in the court of law.

Many of S. Hussain Zaidi’s books have been adapted for screen including ‘Black Friday’, ‘Shootout at Wadala’, ‘Class of '83’, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ and others.

RGV said, “I have a strong reason to believe that Dawood Ibrahim is not involved in the serial blasts of Mumbai in 1993. He is number one accused in the chargesheet. 13 years in TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) case with regards to the serial blasts of 1993 case, after the whole thing, they couldn't get one piece of evidence, material evidence or circumstantial evidence or eyewitness”.

When Zaidi told him that there are confessional statements in support of claims that he is the prime accused, the filmmaker said that those statements haven’t been corroborated.

He said, “There were confessional statements, but did someone prove it? Who knows who called, in whose voice. See, I am not trying to get Dawood out of it. So I feel he is persecuted much more than what he is. I have heard about his personality. Whoever meets him, whoever knows him, it doesn't fit in why he will do something like that. He is a businessman, he loves beautiful women, he loves a flamboyant lifestyle”.

“His car, this and that, he is into that. So, by doing the serial blasts of 93, additionally he will gain Bombay, his place. After that, the police beat him so badly, Bombay underworld was almost broken. Anybody who lost his underworld, lost more than anything. So I think, because I can't say it with conviction. I am not there. But it doesn't fit in the profile of what I think about him”, he added.

--IANS

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