He had apparently planned to slip into Bangladesh through the Lagola border on the orders of a Lashkar-e-Toiba chief, Azam Cheema based in Bahalwalpur, Pakistan. On interrogation, he revealed that he was motivated by one Junaid (arrested for planning a series of blasts in Hyderabad in August) to undergo weapon-training in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. After training he was likely to be sent back to India with other militants for causing subversive activities under the directions of Azam Cheema.

Mohd Farukh was managing a garment shop in Mumbai. He came in contact with a trained Pak militant, Hassan, of Lushkar-e-Toiba who lured him and his other associates residing in the same locality and imparted training in explosives. In September 1997, Hassan, Farukh and his associates had planned on distributing packets of poisonous Fruity during the Ganpati procession in Mumbai so that there would be mass-killing resulting in communal riots. The plans failed due to heavy rains that day.

On New Year's eve, the group decided to distribute poisonous beer among Mumbai youths. But the poison reacted and the beer started oozing out of the bottles and the plan failed again.

The group was responsible for six blasts in different parts of Mumbai. Hassan and his associate had suffered burn injuries in the Jama Masjid and Golibar explosions respectively. Thereafter Hassan fled from India and reportedly settled in Pakistan. Investigations have also revealed that Istiaq alias Saleem, now arrested by the Crime Branch, was in touch with Farukh and Hassan. He used to supply potassium chlorate and other explosives to Hassan. This explosive was used in the Mumbai blasts.