Farooq Takla extradited from UAE: 1993 Mumbai blasts accused managed Dawood Ibrahim’s crime syndicate

Twenty-five years after his escape, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Mohamed Farooq alias Farooq Takla, a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and a close aide of fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, from Dubai. Takla was brought to Mumbai on Thursday and taken to the CBI offices for questioning. He will be produced before a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court for remand later on Thursday. At least 257 people were killed, over 700 injured and properties worth crores destroyed in the serial blasts that rocked Mumbai on 12 March, 1993. At least 27 other accused in the case, including dreaded mafia dons Ibrahim Kaskar and Tiger Memon, who masterminded the blasts, continue to elude the investigators and are declared absconders. Yasin Mansoor Mohamed Farooq: [caption id=“attachment_4381645” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Farooq Takla. News18[/caption] According to an INTERPOL notice, Takla’s birth name is Yasin Mansoor Mohamed Farooq. He was born on 17 February, 1961, in Mumbai. Takla, 57, against whom the INTERPOL had issued a red corner notice in 1995, was tracked to Dubai, where he was believed to be holed up and was later extradited to India to face the law. Takla faces criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means and several other charges. Takla and his brother, Mohmad Ahmad Mansoor, provided logistical support to some of the blast accused, a Hindustan Times report quoted CBI sources as saying. The CBI had arrested Mansoor but Takla managed to escape. Mansoor was later acquitted as prosecution failed to establish his role in the blast, added the report. It is said that Takla managed Dawood’s international crime syndicate from Dubai. According to The Statesman, apart from the Mumbai blast case, he is also wanted in cases like extortion, murder, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy. A big blow to D-gang According to NDTV, Takla’s arrest is being seen as a diplomatic victory for India as several of the accused in the Mumbai blast case have reportedly found safe havens in Dubai and Pakistan. Senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam, according to The Times of India, called the development a “big blow” to the D-company or D-gang. With inputs from IANS