Dawood Ibrahim lives in Pakistan, clarifies Rijiju after govt left red-faced

New Delhi: After the government was left red-faced for its contradictory reply in Parliament on the whereabouts of Dawood Ibrahim, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said the underworld don lives in Pakistan and the Centre would continue to pursue the case very seriously.

"Government's consistent stand is that he (Dawood) is in Pakistan and government of India has been providing information to Pakistan about his whereabouts and Pakistani agencies are not cooperating with Indian government. That is well known to everyone," he told reporters outside Parliament.

The minister said he could not say about the clarification to be given by the government in Parliament but requested everyone not to misconstrue a statement which is based on specific questions.

"So, if necessary, clarifications will be given but what I want to say is that please don't question the intention of the government, the government is very clear and government's job is well defined and it is pursuing the case very seriously," he said.

Though successive governments have asserted over the past two decades that the most wanted terrorist is in Pakistan, minister of state for home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary on Tuesday had told Lok Sabha that extradition proceedings could be initiated only when Ibrahim is located.

"The UN Security Council has also issued a special notice against him. The subject has not been located so far. Extradition process with regard to Dawood Ibrahim would be initiated once the subject is located," Chaudhary had said in a written reply.