Dawood Ibrahim's close aide, 1993 Mumbai serial blasts accused Farooq Takla deported from Dubai, to be produced in TADA court

In what comes as a major breakthrough for CBI, a close aide of India's most wanted criminal and 1993 Mumbai serial blasts prime accused Dawood Ibrahim has been deported from UAE and brought back to India.

Farooq Takla was deported from Dubai and brought to Mumbai in Air India flight AI 996 on Thursday morning.

Takla, against whom a Red Corner Notice was issued in 1995, fled the country soon after 13 blasts rocked the Mumbai city in 1993. He is currently at the CBI office in Mumbai and will be produced before the TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) court later in the day.

Farooq faces criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means and several other charges. He is currently being interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Mumbai.

Dawood masterminded the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts in which 257 people were killed and over 700 were injured. He has been listed as a global terrorist by a committee of the UN Security Council.