Dawood aide Takla deported by UAE, back in India: Why his return matters

Dawood Ibrahim's aide Yasin Mansoor Mohamed Farooq, alias Farooq Takla, wanted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, was brought to India on Thursday after being deported from Dubai. According to the Interpol, the charges against him include criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, and voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, among others.

He will be produced before a TADA court in Mumbai on Thursday, according to news agencies. Takla, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued in 1995, had fled from India after the 1993 Mumbai blasts. At present, he is being questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In what was described as a "big diplomatic win" for India by a news channel, Takla was deported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Mumbai blast of March 12, 1993, resulted in 257 fatalities and over 700 were injured. The attacks were planned by Dawood Ibrahim, India's 'most wanted' fugitive, who also has his name prominently figuring on the 'most wanted' lists of the US and the Interpol.

Dawood Ibrahim's south Mumbai properties auctioned for Rs 12 cr

Three south Mumbai properties belonging to fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim were auctioned for Rs 11.58 crore on Tuesday, according to an official involved in the process.

The properties were put on auction by the ministry of finance, under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act.

The three properties are Hotel Raunaq Afroz, also known as Delhi Zaika, Shabnam Guest House and six rooms in Damarwala building.

The Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust was the highest bidder for the three properties, the official said.

While the Raunaq Afroz hotel attracted a bid of Rs 4.53 crore, Shabnam Guest House got a bid of Rs 3.52 crore and the rooms in the Damarwala building went for Rs 3.53 crore, he said.

1993 Mumbai blasts: Abu Salem gets life term, 2 others get death sentence

Extradited gangster Abu Salem was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment by a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court in Mumbai in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Special Judge G A Sanap pronounced the death verdicts on convicts Mohammed Taher Merchant and Feroze Khan for their role in the blasts, said Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salve.

Besides Salem, the special court awarded life sentence to Karimullah Khan and 10 years rigorous imprisonment to Riyaz Siddiqui.

The Special Judge also slapped varying amounts of fines on the convicts after finding them guilty on various charges, including murder, conspiracy to hatch the blasts, supplying arms and ammunition, and other serious offences, Salve told media-persons after the ruling.

A special TADA court had in June convicted six persons, including mastermind Mustafa Dossa and Salem, in the blasts case, 24 years after the attacks left 257 people dead in the country's financial capital.

It, however, let off accused Abdul Quayyum for want of evidence.
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