New Delhi: The CBI and the Indian Embassy in Dubai were in constant touch with authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a bid to work out the possibility of bringing back to India Anees Ibrahim, brother of underworld don Dawood, arrested there.

"Our official and the Indian Ambassador were in constant touch with the Dubai officials to try and work out the ways by which Anees could be brought to India after convincing them," CBI Director P C Sharma told reporters in New Delhi.

"Anees was arrested in Dubai on December 3 and we were informed soon after which we rushed our official to the port-city," he said.

Sharma said that the "criminal digest" of Anees had been handed over to the Dubai police to make the case of New Delhi strong for him being sent to India.

Expressing confidence that Anees would be handed over to the CBI, Sharma said, "UAE authorities have been co-operating with India as is evident in the swift handing over of Aftab Ansari," the main accused in the shootout case at American Centre at Kolkata earlier this year.

However, some newspapers published from Dubai reported that Anees had been arrested by the Dubai Police for "suspected criminal violation or offences in Dubai".

"Gulf News" quoted a source in Dubai police as saying that Anees was arrested on his arrival from Saudi Arabia where he had gone for performing Umrah.

"Khaleej Times", quoted Director of Dubai CID Lt Col Khalil Ibrahim that Anees had been arrested because of his suspected involvement in some criminal cases.

CBI sources contended that Anees was arrested on his arrival from Karachi and had been using fake names like Shahriyar and Haji Anees.

The senior CBI official, A K Gupta, Deputy Director (Co-ordination) and in-charge of Interpol-CBI relations and Indian Ambassador K C Singh were in constant touch with the CID division of Dubai Police, which was interrogating him.

Although UAE and India have an extradition treaty, the CBI was laying emphasis on his deportation as in the case of Ansari and another accused Muthappa Rai.

Earlier this year, Dubai Police deported an aide of Dawood Ibrahim, Muthappa Rai, who was wanted by Karnataka police in several criminal activities in the state including murder. Rai's was the second major deportation from UAE this year, the first being that of Aftab Ansari, the main accused in the American Centre shoot-out at Kolkata. Dubai Police had also deported Rajendra, wanted in a gun running racket in Gujarat, along with Ansari in February 2002.

India and UAE have begun a new chapter by co-operating with each other. The CBI had reciprocated by arresting Roshna Ansari, a UAE national wanted for killing her step-daughter in Dubai, and deported her to the port city.

The CBI had handed over the list of suspected criminals who have taken refuge in Dubai and were wanted by India in connection with several criminal activities.

A majority of these criminals belong to the gang of Dawood Ibrahim.

PTI