Dhaka: Abdul Rauf alias Dawood Merchant, former aide of mafia don Dawood Ibrahim, was deported to India from Bangladesh on Wednesday in connection with the murder of singer and founder of T-series Gulshan Kumar, reports The Hindu.

Merchant, who was convicted for the murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002, absconded when he was out on parole in 2009. 

He subsequently came to Bangladesh, where he was arrested for entering the country illegally, and then again for alleged terrorist links. 

His jail term expired last week. For the last couple of months, the Indian government has been in talks for his deportation with the Bangladesh government. 

Quoting top police officials, the Hindu reported that following his release from prison, Merchant was taken to Meghalaya by the Bangladeshi authorities and handed over to the Border Security Force India.

A team of Mumbai Crime Branch officers went to Meghalaya on Wednesday to take his custody, Crime Branch officials were quoted as saying.

While the operation was conducted in close coordination by both the governments with the help from the Interpol, it is being officially said Merchant was detained by the BSF while trying to enter the country illegally.

Quoting Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Saxena, the Hindu reported that “The BSF, after questioning Merchant, found out that he was wanted in Mumbai for jumping parole in the Gulshan Kumar murder case.”

Merchant was flown to Mumbai early on Thursday morning and produced in the High Court.

“The High Court has directed us to produce him before the session’s court on Friday,” Saxena added.