India gets boost in battle with Pak over Shakeel aide’s custody

MUMBAI: Indian agencies may be closer to getting custody of Sayyad Muzakkir Muddasar Hussain, or Munna Jhingada - an aide of gangster Chhota Shakeel who is wanted

MUMBAI: Indian agencies may be closer to getting custody of Sayyad Muzakkir Muddasar Hussain, or Munna Jhingada - an aide of gangster Chhota Shakeel who is wanted in several criminal cases in Mumbai

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A team of Mumbai crime branch officials has been called by a Bangkok court hearing a case of Jhingada’s custody to seek details of the criminal cases against him in Mumbai.

This development will give India an upper hand in its legal battle with Pakistan over Jhingada’s custody. The tug-of-war between the two countries began after Jhingada was arrested in Thailand in 2002 while holding a Pakistani passport with the name Mohammad Saleem. Jhingada was arrested for being part of the team that attacked gangster Chhota Rajan on September 15, 2000 in a Bangkok hotel. The Pakistani establishment has been trying ever since to get Jhingada’s custody.

Police officials said Jhingada got his Pakistani passport from that government after he fled India (see box). Crime branch sources said the Thai court asked for details of cases against Jhingada in India. Four officers, headed by a DCP, will leave for Bangkok in the last week of this month or in early October after they get a final communication through Interpol. “Thailand laws are different. They want the Indian police to explain cases against Jhingada and give them information we gathered here,” said a crime branch officer. Copies of six FIRs against Jhingada filed by the Mumbai police will be submitted. The crime branch expect this to be the final step to get custody. Sources said India clinched the legal battle after the police collected DNA samples of Jhingada’s parents and sister in 2014. “We expect DNA matched with Jhingada’s, but will know after speaking to authorities,” the officer said.