Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Chhota Shakeel confirmed that the gangster is alive and healthy in an exclusive conversation with CNN-New18. “Dawood is alive and healthy. Even I was shocked to see this fake news. I met him multiple times yesterday," he said.
This confirmation came after reports of Dawood Ibrahim's death started to float in the media. Various social media platforms alleged that the gangster was rushed to hospital as he was poisoned.
Some even posted screenshots of an account that appeared to be of Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar, which mentioned that Dawood had died. It was later confirmed that the account was fake.
The viral message read, “The Messiah of humanity, dear to every Pakistani heart, our beloved His Excellency Dawood Ibrahim passed away due to poisoned by unknown. He breathed his last in a hospital in Karachi. May Allah grant him the highest position in Jannat. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un."
Read: Dawood Ibrahim dead? Media reports from Pakistan on underworld don say...