Dawood Ibrahim, one of India's most wanted criminals, is in Pakistan, arrested gangster Chhota Rajan reportedly said in Indonesia on Monday.
An Indian police team reached Indonesia and reportedly met with Rajan at his detention centre on Monday to begin the process of extraditing him back to the country.
He is likely to be brought to India on Tuesday, as per reports.
Rajan was arrested last Sunday after he arrived in Bali from Australia on a request to the Interpol from the CBI.
Rajan has been wanted for over two decades for a series of crimes including murder and extortion.
The underworld don, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, was Dawood Ibrahim's aide for several years before they parted ways following the latter's role in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
Chhota Rajan told the media that Dawood is under ISI protection in Pakistan, according to ANI news agency.
Reporter: Dawood kahan hai? Chhota Rajan: Pakistan mein Q: Kaun chhupa rha hai? Chhota Rajan: ISI chhupa rhi hai. pic.twitter.com/PiQBHqgdN1
— ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2015
#Breaking Dawood is in Pakistan. He is under the protection of ISI: Chhota Rajan #OperationChhota
— IndiaTodayFLASH (@IndiaTodayFLASH) November 2, 2015
It is common knowledge within Indian circles that Dawood Ibrahim has been living in Pakistan, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh stating in the Lok Sabha earlier this year that the government was pressuring the Pakistani government to help nab the gangster.
Dawood is wanted for masterminding the deadly 1993 blasts in Mumbai that left 257 people dead.