The Dubai police have arrested a 35-year-old Indian businessman for allegedly trying to sell secrets of the Indian nuclear development programme obtained from his brother who is said to be a nuclear scientist in India.

Dubai police Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim said UAE resident Akhtar Hussain Qutbuddin Ahmed 'had attempted to sell nuclear secrets to the diplomatic missions of a number of brotherly countries in the UAE', according to Khaleej Times online newspaper.

Ahmed allegedly wanted to sell the nuclear secrets to regional states for quite some time. His arrest came almost two years after security forces set up a surveillance operation to find out whether he had worked with a network.

He was deported to Mumbai on Saturday night. The Mumbai police detained him immediately after he landed at the airport after receiving a tip off from their counterparts in Dubai.

"We have held the businessman following an oral message from the Dubai police that he was caught selling Indian nuclear secrets," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Satyapal Singh told PTI.

Arrest or further prosecution would be possible only after the police received documents from Dubai, he said adding, "It would be possible only in a day or two. Till then Akhtar will be questioned by the police."

Central intelligence agencies have begun quizzing the businessman somewhere in Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, police sources said.

"We are providing backup support to central agencies who are pursuing the case," a senior Mumbai police official said.

It is quite possible that Akhtar may be moved to Delhi for further questioning till authorities in Dubai sent details of the documents found in his possession.

Earlier, the Dubai police had sealed a computer firm in Dubai owned by a Sri Lankan in another instance of an expatriate businessman trying to sell nuclear equipment illegally.