The Hindu : A milestone in India-UAE ties

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

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National

A milestone in India-UAE ties

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI DEC. 9. The arrest of the underworld don, Anees Ibrahim Kaskar, one of the key accused in the Bombay serial blasts case, in Dubai could well turn out to be a milestone in further cementing the framework of mutual assistance in criminal matters between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Anees, brother of Dawood Ibrahim, the prime accused in the blasts case, was arrested soon after his arrival in Dubai from Pakistan and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was informed about it late last night. A senior official of the CBI has already left for Dubai for discussions with the authorities and law enforcing agencies there, which could open the possibility of his deportation to India. The development also indicates the tightening of the noose on the D-company though the process of getting back Anees may take some more time to be completed.

The CBI official, A.K. Gupta, Deputy Director who looks after Interpol-CBI relations, would hand over the details of criminal cases against Anees to the authorities in Dubai. Fingerprints of Anees would also be obtained from the Maharashtra Government to be sent to Dubai for further verification. He had been detailed in Dubai in 1996 but was let off for lack of evidence.

Well-placed official sources said Anees was detained on the basis of documents given to the Dubai authorities by the CBI as well as the Red Corner Interpol notice number A-349/8/1993 against him. He, along with Dawood Ibrahim, also figured on the much-touted "List of 20'' wanted criminals and terrorists sought by India from Pakistan.

At the time of his arrest in Dubai, Anees was in possession of a Pakistani passport. He was issued a passport — number N-710522 — in Mumbai on November 13, 1978, and the address given in it was Haji Musafirkhana, 33, Pakhmodia, Mumbai.

His arrest comes nearly nine months after the UAE had swiftly deported to India, Aftab Ansari, who was the mastermind behind the attack on the U.S. consulate in Kolkata in January this year. Though India and the UAE have an extradition treaty in place, Aftab Ansari's deportation had taken place without invoking the treaty which showed "exceptional cooperation'' and strong political will by the UAE authorities. Another accused, Muthapa Rai, had also been deported to India by the Dubai authorities.

Sources disclosed that the CBI Director, P.C. Sharma, recently had a meeting with the UAE Internal Security Minister during which intelligence inputs on the possible movement of Anees Ibrahim were shared. It was expected that authorities in Dubai would not hesitate to detain Anees if he happened to land in UAE, indicating a strong will to convey the message that the regime would strictly enforce anti-terrorism laws.

Mr. Sharma said the CBI would hand over the entire evidence, through diplomatic channels, against Anees to the Dubai authorities from whom the agency had received "excellent cooperation.'' He expressed satisfaction that Anees would be handed over to India soon.

Wanted by the police in several States in India for his involvement in about 70 cases of murder, conspiracy, ransom, extortion and kidnappings, Anees carried a reward of Rs. 10 lakhs. According to the dossier on him with the CBI, the 33-year-old Anees had planned the Bombay serial blasts during December 1992-January 1993 and had distributed arms, ammunition and explosives to other co-conspirators. As many as 257 people were killed and 700 others sustained injuries in the Bombay blasts that resulted in the loss of property worth Rs. 27 crores.

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