CBI secures deportation of key accused in ₹252-crore drug case from UAE

MUMBAI: CBI secured the deportation of Taher Salim Dola, key accused in a ₹252-crore drug case, from UAE after his arrest following an Interpol notice.

MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday secured the deportation of Taher Salim Dola, a key accused in a ₹252-crore synthetic drug case, from the United Arab Emirates. Dola, wanted by the Mumbai police for allegedly operating an illegal Mephedrone manufacturing unit in Sangli, arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on flight AI-984 from Dubai, CBI officials said.

CBI secures deportation of key accused in ₹252-crore drug case from UAE

Dola had been arrested by Abu Dhabi police in January after Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him on November 25, 2024, following a request from the Mumbai police. His location in the UAE was tracked through close coordination between the CBI, Interpol, and UAE authorities, officials said.

“The International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) of the CBI, in collaboration with NCB-Abu Dhabi, successfully facilitated Dola’s return through Interpol channels,” a senior CBI official said. “He is a wanted subject in a major case under investigation by the Mumbai police.”

According to the CBI, Dola is accused of remotely managing a synthetic drug factory in Sangli from abroad, along with a few others. In March last year, Mumbai police seized 126.14 kg of Mephedrone—commonly known as ‘MD’—from the illegal facility, with the contraband valued at approximately ₹252 crore.

The case is being investigated by the Kurla police, which registered the initial FIR.

During the probe, Look Out Circulars were issued against Dola and two others. The CBI later routed an extradition request through the Government of India, following Dola’s arrest in the UAE.

Red Corner Notices, issued via Interpol, allow for the arrest or detention of fugitives in member countries pending extradition or deportation. “The CBI, as India’s National Central Bureau for Interpol, coordinates all such efforts through its BHARATPOL platform,” the official said.

In recent years, over 100 wanted fugitives have been brought back to India through Interpol cooperation, officials added.