Mumbai: Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Mumbai, Satya Pal Singh, today (Jan 15, 2004) hinted that some more criminals and underworld members were likely to be deported to India soon.

"The deportation of eight persons from Dubai in the recent past is just a beginning, and you can certainly expect more deportations this year," Singh told reporters.

He, however, refused to elaborate further on this issue.

Singh said the deportations held in 2003, which also includes the one of Dawood Ibrahim's youngest brother, Iqbal Kaskar, was a shot in arm for Mumbai Police.

"The deportations, along with the action we have initiated against the properties owned by Dawood in Mumbai, should be seen as an offensive against the underworld, which will be stepped up in coming days," he said.

A meeting of all Central Government agencies associated with internal security was convened by Mumbai Police on January 13 to decide action on 79 Dawood properties identified in Mumbai so far, Singh said, adding that the meeting decided to share information regarding Dawood and hold physical verification and valuation of his properties before taking any action on them.