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Fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim's aide Abbas Mohammed Sameeza, who allegedly facilitated landing of arms and ammunition off the Gujarat coast prior to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, has been arrested in Mumbai, the police said on Wednesday.
Sameeza, who had been staying in suburban Andheri for many years by changing his appearance, was arrested from his residence on Tuesday, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said.
"He had facilitated the landing of weapons like AK-47 and other ammunition, off the coast of Gujarat, prior to the blasts. A part of the consignment was brought to Mumbai by Abu Salem and distributed to other accused, including Sanjay Dutt," Maria said.
Sameeza is wanted in a case, registered under the Terrorism and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, at the Kalyanpur police station of Jamnagar district in Gujarat. He will be handed over to the Gujarat police soon, Maria said.
Based on specific information, police zeroed-in on Sameeza, who has shaved-off his beard and married a Maharashtrain lady.
The landing operations in Gujarat are not part of the 1993 bomb blasts case. Extradited gangster Abu Salem's trial is currently going on at the TADA court.
The serial blasts had killed 257 people and injured over 700 on March 12, 1993. The designated TADA court has sentenced 12 people to death and 20 others have been awarded life imprisonment.