Now Reading: UAE extradition sought for 2006 Lonavala murder accused
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UAE extradition sought for 2006 Lonavala murder accused
The family of retired merchant navy captain Manmohan Singh Virdi, murdered in Lonavala in 2006, has approached the UAE embassy in Delhi to speed up the extradition of the main accused, Hussain…
The family of retired merchant navy captain Manmohan Singh Virdi, murdered in Lonavala in 2006, has approached the UAE embassy in Delhi to speed up the extradition of the main accused, Hussain Mohammed Shataf. The Bombay High Court noted on 20 November 2025 that Maharashtra's home department had sent the extradition proposal to the central government on 31 October. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on 4 August that India's extradition request had been sent to the UAE, which has asked for additional documents.
The Supreme Court on 18 May 2023 set aside a Bombay High Court order that had discharged the accused, restarting the trial. But proceedings in Pune sessions court (case 5/2024) remain stalled as Shataf is abroad. The family alleges his passport expired in 2021 and that he is wanted in other criminal cases including forgery and cheating. They have requested UAE authorities to coordinate with Indian officials to facilitate his return. The accused is also known as Hussain Mahboob Khokhawala, the family said.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This case hinges on a bilateral extradition treaty India has with the UAE, signed in 2011 and operationalised under the Extradition Act of 1962, which requires documentary proof of identity, the alleged offence, and a prima facie case. Maharashtra's home department forwarded the proposal to the central government in October 2025, and the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed in August that the UAE sought additional documents. The pace now depends on how quickly India supplies those papers and whether the UAE judiciary accepts them. A refusal would leave the family with no further legal avenue unless Interpol issues a red notice to force the accused's travel restrictions. The family's urgency stems from the accused's expired passport in 2021 and his alleged presence in the UAE without valid documents, raising questions about migration law compliance.
Source: aajtak.in
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
