Dawood Ibrahim aide Farooq Takla extradited from UAE

Twenty-five years after Mumbai serial blasts, Farooq Takla, who was part of the inner circle of Karachi-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, has been arrested.

Takla, at the behest of Dawood Ibrahim, had given logistic support to the co-accused and sent them to Pakistan for training via Dubai.

The arrest comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of the March 12, 1993, serial blasts.

Dubai-based Yasin Mansoor Mohammed Farooq alias Farooq Takla (57), who faced a Red Corner Notice of the Interpol, was arrested from New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The CBI, whose Special Task Force (STF) investigates the serial blasts, said that Takla was extradited from the United Arab Emirates following a request from the Government of India and regular follow-ups. From New Delhi, he was flown to the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

CBI custody

In the evening, he was taken to the special court set up under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), which sent him to CBI custody till March 19.

"The accused participated in the criminal conspiracy as a conspirator, perpetrator in the other case with other accused like Dawood Ibrahim, Anees Ibrahim and others," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the court.

"Farooq Takla is part of the inner circle of Dawood Ibrahim," informed sources said.

Takla has been booked for murder, attempt to murder, destruction of public and private property, besides criminal conspiracy and common intention.

Over the course of next 10 days, he will be questioned by the CBI-STF, which investigates the 1993 serial blasts case. "His custodial interrogation is necessary," CBI-STF deputy superintendent of police Shiv Kumar pleaded in the remand note.

According to sources, Takla was one of the key pointsmen of Dawood in Dubai and has helped out the other accused in the case.

Takla has given logistical support, like arranging air tickets, to accused Salim Bismillah Khan alias Salim Kurla who went to Pakistan via Dubai for getting trained in handling weapons like AK-47 and explosives like RDX.

After his interrogation, the STF will be able to gather information of the present network of Dawood and the whereabouts of other absconding accused in the 1993 serial blasts case.