Mumbai blasts accused Farooq Takla arrested
Mumbai: Twenty-five years after his escape, the CBI has arrested absconder Farookh Takla, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and a close aide of fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, from Dubai.
Takla, against whom the Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice in 1995 was finally tracked to Dubai and brought to Mumbai earlier on Thursday. He has been whisked off to the CBI offices for questioning and will be produced before a Special TADA Court later in the day for remand.
Takla's arrest comes just two days after wellknown criminal lawyer Shyam Keswani reiterated in Thane that Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar was reportedly willing to return to India and face trial, but the Indian government had rejected some of his preconditions.
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China calls for 'swift and fair investigation' into Pahalgam attack
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Beijing (PTI): China has called for a "swift and fair investigation" into the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed support for its all-weather ally Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests amid Islamabad's rising tensions with India.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday held a telephonic conversation with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Dar briefed Wang -- also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee -- on the latest tensions between Pakistan and India "following a terrorist attack in the Kashmir region", it said in the report.
For his part, Wang said China was closely following the developments, stressing that combating terrorism was a shared responsibility of the entire world while reaffirming Beijing's consistent support for Pakistan's firm counterterrorism efforts, it added.
"As an ironclad friend and an all-weather strategic cooperative partner, China fully understands Pakistan's legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests," the report quoted Wang as saying.
"China advocates for a swift and fair investigation and believes that conflict does not serve the fundamental interests of either India or Pakistan, nor does it benefit regional peace and stability," Wang noted.
China hopes both sides will remain restrained, move toward each other, and work together to de-escalate the situation, he added.
Dar emphasised that Pakistan had consistently and firmly fought terrorism and was against any actions that could lead to an escalation of the situation, according to the report.
Pakistan is committed to managing the situation in a mature manner and will maintain communication with China and the international community, Dar said, the news agency reported.
On April 23, China "strongly condemned" the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
"We strongly condemn the attack. China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun had told a media briefing.
"We mourn for the lives lost and express sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured," he had said.
Separately, China's Ambassador to India Xu Feihong had also condemned the attack.
"Shocked by the attack in Pahalgam and condemn (it)," he had said in a post on X.
"Deep condolences for the victims and sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families. Oppose terrorism of all forms," he had said.
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