D. Sivanandhan is one of Mumbai’s most respected former Police Commissioners, a man who saw the city’s darkest days up close, from the bloody gang wars of the 1990s to the 1993 bomb blasts that shook Mumbai. He led the fight against Dawood Ibrahim’s underworld empire and is known for cleaning up the mafia.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, D. Sivanandhan takes us back to that era, when gangsters ruled the streets, businessmen were shot in broad daylight, and the Mumbai Police decided to strike back.

He talks about how the cleanup began, the underworld’s deep links with Bollywood and real estate, and how Dawood’s network thrived with Pakistan’s ISI. D. Sivanandhan also shares what went wrong during the 26/11 terror attacks and what it truly takes to protect a city like Mumbai.

00:00 – Introduction

01:42 – The Book 'The Brahmastra Unleashed'

05:35 – 90s Mumbai Underworld

16:48 – How Powerful the Underworld Was

20:45 – Dawood & the 1993 Bomb Blasts

25:46 – Transition from Karim Lala to Dawood

31:26 – Dawood vs Chhota Rajan

43:13 – The Underworld’s Pact

46:40 – Politics & Mumbai Police

58:28 – Bollywood's Underworld Connection

01:09:13 – Reel Encounters vs Real Violence

01:12:04 – The 26/11 Attacks

01:23:21 – New-Age Threats & Security Gaps

01:32:12 – Rise of Cybercrime