1993 Mumbai serial blasts case: Farooq Takla worked as cab driver, did odd jobs to make a living in Dubai

According to sources, Farooq is the twin brother of Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Yasin Mansoori alias Langda, who was arrested and later acquitted in the 1993 serial blasts case. While Takla’s name did not crop up during the initial investigation, his role surfaced later during the course of the probe, based on which a Red Corner Notice was issued. The RCN states that Takla is wanted for criminal conspiracy, murder and terrorist activities.

“Takla was assigned the task of ensuring that recruits who travelled to Pakistan via Dubai are sneaked out of the airport without completing the mandatory immigration clearance. This was to ensure that their passports do not have the immigration stamp thereby to show that they travelled to Pakistan via Dubai,” said another official, who did not wish to be named. “Takla’s interrogation would be crucial to ascertain the role of Pakistan’s ISI, whose orders Takla executed,” added the official.

“He was the manager for both Dawood and Anees. Between the two, he is considered to be closer to Anees,” said a former police official who had handled the probe in the case.

Sources add that other than the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts case, Takla is also wanted in the sensational JJ shootout case. On September 12, 1992, Shailesh Haldankar was killed by the Dawood gang while he was recuperating in JJ hospital. The shootout was allegedly ordered to avenge the killing of Dawood Ibrahim’s brother-in-law Ibrahim Parkar, who was killed near his residence in 1992 allegedly by two members of the rival Arun Gawli gang. Parkar was the husband of Dawood’s younger sister Haseena Parkar, who died in 2014. After the CBI , the Mumbai Police will also seek Takla’s custody in the JJ shootout case.