Latest news with #RedCornerNotice
Hindustan Times
26-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘Drug lord' Salim Dola's chemicals supplier held
MUMBAI: A key supplier of chemicals to the cartel of drug lord Salim Dola has been arrested in Surat. Brijesh Morabia, 32, was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch for supplying raw materials used to make narcotic drugs, via Dola's nephew Mustafa Kubbawala. 'Drug lord' Salim Dola's chemicals supplier held This is the fourteenth arrest in connection with the Sangli factory bust last year. The factory was found to be making mephedrone, commonly known as 'MD', leading to the seizure of MD worth ₹256 crore. Police officers said Morabia was supplying chemicals such as Bromo 2, required to make the contraband, for the last five years. Morabia's involvement was discovered after the crime branch deported Dola's son Taher last month and nephew Mustafa Kubbawala this month from the Middle East. During interrogation, Kubbawala revealed that he had been picking up chemicals from Morabia on the instructions of his uncle, Salim Dola. Kubbawala said he would hand the chemicals to the main accused, Pravin aka Nagesh Ramchandra Shinde, who oversaw production at the Sangli factory, said police officer. Kubbawala would also collect money from drug suppliers who were part of their syndicate in Mumbai, and send it to Dubai through hawala channels. Salim Dola, an alleged member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang, is believed to be overseas. His multi-state drug cartel uses factories in various parts of the country, three of which have been busted in recent times. The Mira Bhayandar and Vasai Virar police stormed a drug factory in Telangana's Vikarabad district, and another in Varanasi, where they seized mephedrone and raw material worth ₹327 crore, police said. Morabia, who has studied till Std XII, got mixed up in the illegal drugs trade five years ago, when he started working as a chemicals supplier, said the officer. Before that, he had been working with a chemical company in Ankleshwar, and was familiar with the chemicals business. Police are now investigating whether or not Morabia was working alone. A crime branch officer said Bromo 2 was a key ingredient in the manufacture of MD and is easily available in Ankleshwar and Surat in Gujarat. Moreover, it does not need a licence, said the officer. In March last year, police stormed Dola's factory in Kavthe Mahankal in Sangli, and seized 126.14kg of mephedrone. Kubbawala was charge sheeted in the case and the trial court had issued an arrest warrant against him. Kubbawala and Taher Dola were apprehended by the NCB-Abu Dhabi and deported in May this year after a Red Corner Notice was issued against both of them. Taher was brought back to India on June 13 and Kubbawala on July 11. Both of them are in judicial custody.
New Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
‘Russian woman may have left India with kid'
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its displeasure at the Centre's submission in a case that the Russian woman fighting with her estranged Indian husband for their child's custody has gone missing and probably went back to Russia. The two-judge Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi called the situation 'unacceptable' and observed that it was 'gross contempt of court'. The Bench said in its order on Monday: 'Her passport is seized. How could she get a duplicate passport? It could not have been possible without the help of some officials at the Russian Embassy. It is a gross contempt of court. It is totally unacceptable. We will be passing some harsh orders and direct for issuing a Red Corner Notice.' The Centre's submission that the woman had left India came as a surprise, as it had previously told the SC that she had not left the country, at least through legal means.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Time of India
BKI-linked Batala among 8 Indian-origin men arrested in FBI crackdown on gang violence; assault rifle, hundreds of bullets and magazines seized
Representative image NEW DELHI/JALANDHAR: The FBI has arrested Pavittar Singh Batala, a most-wanted fugitive from India, in California as part of its operation against organised crime. Batala, who is linked to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), had an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him. He was arrested, along with seven others. A cache of arms and ammunition was also seized from them. In June, the NIA named Batala, along with Jatinder Joti and designated BKI terrorist Lakhbir Landa, in a chargesheet. Joti was allegedly involved in illegal procurement and supply of firearms to Punjab-based gangsters. He was facilitating weapons supply to ground operatives of Batala, a close associate of Landa, agency said. The accused allegedly used virtual numbers and encrypted applications while promoting pro-Khalistan network in state, probe had revealed. The module works on instructions of ISI-linked Rinda Sandhu, officials said. Indian agencies are in touch with their US counterparts to extradite Batala, sources said. San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said its AGNET Unit - along with SWAT teams from FBI, Stockton police, Manteca police and Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office - executed five coordinated search warrants across county. Those arrested include Batala, said to be the prime suspect, Dilpreet Singh, Arshpreet Singh, Amritpal Singh, Vishal, Gurtaj Singh, Manpreet Randhawa and Sarabjit Singh. Each has been booked into San Joaquin County Jail on various felony charges, including kidnapping, torture, false imprisonment, conspiracy to commit crime, preventing/dissuading witness, assault with semiautomatic firearm, and threats to terrorize. Sheriff's office released video of the suspects, and arms and ammunition seized from them - five handguns (including a fully automatic Glock), assault rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and over $15,000 in cash. New Delhi/Jalandhar: FBI has arrested Pavittar Singh Batala, a most-wanted fugitive from India, in California as part of its operation against organized crime. Batala, who is linked to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), had an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him. He was arrested, along with seven others and a cache of arms and ammunition seized from them. In June, NIA named Batala, along with Jatinder Joti and designated BKI terrorist Lakhbir Landa, in a chargesheet. Joti was allegedly involved in illegal procurement and supply of firearms to Punjab-based gangsters. He was facilitating weapons supply to ground operatives of Batala, a close associate of designated individual terrorist Landa, agency said. The accused allegedly use virtual numbers and encrypted applications while promoting pro-Khalistan network in state, probe had revealed. The module works on instructions of ISI-linked Rinda Sandhu, officials said. Indian agencies are in touch with their US counterparts to extradite Batala, sources said. San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said its AGNET Unit - along with SWAT teams from FBI, Stockton police, Manteca police and Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office - executed five coordinated search warrants across county. Those arrested include Batala, said to be the prime suspect, Dilpreet Singh, Arshpreet Singh, Amritpal Singh, Vishal, Gurtaj Singh, Manpreet Randhawa and Sarabjit Singh. Each has been booked into San Joaquin County Jail on various felony charges, including kidnapping, torture, false imprisonment, conspiracy to commit crime, preventing/dissuading witness, assault with semiautomatic firearm, and threats to terrorize. Sheriff's office released video of the suspects, and arms and ammunition seized from them - five handguns (including a fully automatic Glock), assault rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and over $15,000 in cash. Weapons-related charges included possession of machine gun, illegal possession of assault weapon, manufacture/sale of high-capacity magazines, manufacturing short-barrelled rifle, and carrying loaded, unregistered handgun. "This takedown was part of FBI's Summer Heat initiative, a nationwide effort targeting violent offenders and gang members who terrorize our communities. Summer Heat reflects director (Kash) Patel's commitment to American people to crush crime and restore safety in neighbourhoods across country," sheriff's office said.
India.com
12-07-2025
- India.com
Who is Kubbawala Mustafa? Drugs manufacturer deported from UAE to India, he is key supplier for...
Who is Kubbawala Mustafa? Drugs manufacturer deported from UAE to India, he is key supplier for... The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that it has successfully helped bring back Kubbawala Mustafa, a wanted criminal, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the help of Interpol. Mustafa was being searched by the Mumbai Police in connection with a major drug case. In a statement, the CBI said, 'Our International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU), along with NCB-Abu Dhabi, helped bring back Red Corner Notice accused Kubbawala Mustafa on July 11, 2025.' A team of four Mumbai Police officers had gone to Dubai on July 7 to bring him back. They returned with Mustafa on July 11, landing at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The CBI said Mustafa was tracked down in the UAE after constant follow-up and coordination with Interpol and NCB-Abu Dhabi.
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Key accused in ₹252-cr Sangli drugs bust deported from UAE
MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday got Mustafa Mohammed Kubbawala, 44, a key accused in a ₹252-crore synthetic drugs bust, deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the help of Interpol and authorities based in the UAE. A resident of Surat, Kubbawala was wanted by the Mumbai police in an illegal mephedrone factory bust in Sangli district, Maharashtra. Key accused in ₹ 252-cr Sangli drugs bust deported from UAE In March last year, police stormed the factory, in Kavthe Mahankal in Sangli, and seized 126.14kg of mephedrone, commonly known as 'MD' valued at around ₹252 crore. The illegal facility was controlled by alleged drug lord Salim Dola and his son Taher. Kubbawala, son of Salim's sister, was charge sheeted in the case and the trial court had issued an arrest warrant against him. Kubbawala was found to be in the UAE by Interpol and the National Central Bureau-Abu Dhabi, officials said. He was apprehended on the basis of a pending Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him. RCNs issued via Interpol allow for the arrest or detention of fugitives in member countries pending extradition or deportation. The RCN was issued against Kubbawala after the Mumbai crime branch made the drugs bust in Sangli last year. 'The International Police Cooperation Unit of the CBI, in collaboration with the NCB-Abu Dhabi, brought Kubbawala back to India on Friday,' the official said. A four-member team of the Mumbai police had gone to Dubai, on July 7, to bring him back. Kubbawala was arrested in Dubai on May 18, two days before Salim's son, Taher Dola, was apprehended by the NCB-Abu Dhabi. Taher was brought back to India on June 13 and is currently in judicial custody, said a police officer. A four-member team of the Mumbai crime branch, comprising assistant commissioner of police Chandrakant Jadhav, police inspector Arun Thorat and two head constables went to the UAE on Tuesday, and with the help of the International Police Cooperation Unit of the CBI, brought Kubbawala to Mumbai on Friday. According to the police, Kubbawala became involved in the drugs trade a decade ago and, for the last five to six years, has been operating in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and helping Salim Dola to run his syndicate. A senior police officer said he used to supply raw materials required for the manufacture of MD from Surat to Pravin aka Nagesh Ramchandra Shinde, who oversaw production at the Sangli factory. He was assisted in the procurement of raw materials by Ijaj Ali Imdad Ali Ansari and Adil Imtiyaz Vohara, both Surat residents who were arrested in the case earlier. Kubbawala, the police said, would personally transport the contraband manufactured at the Sangli unit to their distribution point in Mira Road, where he used to deliver it to their points-person, Sajid Mohammad Asif Shaikh alias Dabs, 25. Kubbawala transported the drugs to Dabs in Mercedes or BMWs, and the latter then used his network of drug peddlers to supply it to consumers. Kubbawala would also collect money from Dabs once the contraband was sold and send it to Dubai through hawala channels, said a police officer. He added that the 44-year-old mostly stayed in Surat and visited Mumbai and MMR only whenever required. He fled to the UAE after the Sangli factory bust. Unit 7 of the crime branch has arrested a total 13 accused, including a woman, in the case so far.
