Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde was specifically speaking in the State Legislature about Dawood who is reportedly shifted his base from Dubai and is handling his activities from Karachi now.

Munde, who also holds the Home portfolio was reacting to a calling attention motion initiated by Vyamkappa Patki, Arvind Savant, Hussein Dalwai and others in the Legislative Council.

The motion dealt with two attacks on Shiv Sena leader and former mayor of Mumbai, Milind Vaidya. Gangsters owing allegiance to Chhotta Shakeel faction of the Dawood gang had on December 17, 1998 and March 4, 1999 opened fire at Vaidya at Mahim seriously injuring him on both instances. Three Sainiks had lost lives in the second attack on Vaidya.

Leader of Opposition Chaggan Bhujbal asked if the reasons behind the attackshad come to light following police enquiry: ``Was the attack a result of Vaidya's alleged involvement in illegal constructions at Mahim? Or was it because of a local power struggle? What is MLA Baburao Mane's role in the attacks, if involved? Was Munde pressurised by the Sena in taking action against the police officials?

Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde assured the House that the various questions raised by Bhujbal would be dealt with in the police during investigations.

On the same issue, Munde said that the State Government was only too well aware that gangland activities had reached a head driven by dons like Dawood who operated through his second-level henchmen in Mumbai. ``We had requested the Union Government to enter into a treaty with Dubai for extradition of criminals. The Centre has initiated talks with Dubai and also has made a specific request to the Pakistan government for extradition of Dawood. The Government has also attached various properties owned by the don and his relatives,''Munde said.

Earlier, the House witnessed unruly scenes as Sena Member Sushil Shinde and Samajwadi Party member Hussein Dalwai slugged it out over certain remarks by the former about Samajwadi Party. The uproar that followed irked chairman N S Pharande who told members to observe the decorum of the House. He also expunged Shinde's remark from records of the proceedings.