CBI arrests 1993 serial blasts accused Tahir Merchant

"Merchant alias Tahir Taklya, a close associate of prime accused in the case Tiger Memon, was brought to Mumbai this afternoon and was produced before a special TADA court here which remanded him in police custody till June 14," CBI official Anand Somani told PTI.

The TADA court had issued non-bailable warrant against Merchant in October 1993 after he was declared absconding in the blasts case. "A red corner notice was issued against Merchant and also he was declared a proclaimed offender by the TADA court," said defence lawyer Farhana Shah, who represented nearly 100 accused in the case.

"Merchant had in Dubai received several accused from India and had arranged for them to be sent to Karachi in Pakistan for arms training. He allegedly provided them with travel documents and money for the training," Somani said.

Merchant had also allegedly attended meetings in Dubai, where the 1993 blast conspiracy was hatched by Memon and fugitive Dawood Ibrahim. Recently, CBI had arrested another absconding accused in the case, Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan from Navi Mumbai. Trial against him is yet to begin.

The TADA court is conducting the trial of extradited gangster Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa and Abdul Qayyum. In 2007, special TADA Judge Pramod Kode had convicted 100 accused including filmstar Sanjay Dutt in connection with the blasts. Most of them appealed in the Supreme Court, which is yet to hear them.