New Delhi: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on October 24 expressed hope that the United States would take steps for handing over to India Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, whom Washington recently declared a "global terrorist" based in Karachi and holding a Pakistani passport.

"We hope that Washington will take steps in the right direction for handing over Dawood to India, as the official website of the US Treasury Department has highlighted his role in destabilising India," Advani said in his speech at 42nd Raising Day celebrations of the Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP).

"We had been raising the issue of role of Dawood for last so many years and the influence of Pakistan in shielding him. Any way, better late than never...now we hope pressure will be exerted on the country shielding him in handing him over to India," he said.

PTI