Merchant Navy captain's family urges UAE to speed up Hussain Shattaf extradition

New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 26, 2026 00:05 IST

Nearly 20 years after the murder of retired Merchant Navy captain Manmohan Singh Virdi, his family has approached the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, seeking its urgent intervention to expedite the paperwork for the extradition of Hussain Mohammed Shattaf, the prime accused in the case. The appeal comes days after the Ministry of External Affairs said the UAE had sought "some more documentation" in response to India's extradition request and that New Delhi was working on the matter.

Retired Captain Manjit Singh Virdi, the victim's brother and original complainant, has urged the UAE mission to coordinate with Indian authorities and the Prime Minister's Office to speed up the process and bring Shattaf back to India to face trial.

MURDER CASE PENDING SINCE 2006

The case relates to the murder of Captain Manmohan Singh Virdi in Lonavala in 2006. FIR No. 46 of 2006 was registered at Lonavala City Police Station. The case is now pending before the Sessions Court at Wadgaon Maval, Pune, as Sessions Case No. 5 of 2024.

The family says the proceedings have remained stalled because Shattaf has not appeared before the trial court and continues to remain outside India. In his representation to the UAE mission, Manjit Singh Virdi said the accused's prolonged absence had caused "immense hardship to the victim's family" and undermined the administration of criminal justice.

The family has also raised concerns about Shattaf's immigration status and criminal record. According to the representation submitted by the victim's brother, the passport associated with the accused expired in 2021, and the family claims that he has been residing in the UAE since then.

The representation also refers to an Interpol notice and alleges that Shattaf is wanted in connection with the murder case and other criminal cases. These claims have been made by the victim's family and could not be independently verified from the material available.

The case saw a major turn in 2023 when the Supreme Court restored the murder trial. In its May 18, 2023, order in Criminal Appeal No. 1399 of 2023, the apex court set aside the Bombay High Court's order discharging the accused and restored the proceedings.

The family has since continued to seek Shattaf's return to India so the case can proceed before the trial court.

The representation also refers to a November 20, 2025, Bombay High Court order, which recorded that Maharashtra's Home Department had forwarded an extradition proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 31, 2025.

UAE SEEKS MORE DOCUMENTS

The extradition process has now moved into a documentation stage. On August 4, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India's request had been sent to the UAE and said the UAE side had sought additional documents.

Jaiswal said, "That specific extradition request was sent to the UAE side. They've asked for some more documentation in that regard, and we are working on this particular matter."

The victim's family has now sought the intervention of the UAE mission to help complete the legal process and expedite Shattaf's return to face justice.

According to the complaint submitted by the victim's family to the authorities, the accused's passport has reportedly been expired since 2021. The family further alleges that he is wanted by Interpol in connection with a murder and other criminal cases and has been residing illegally in the UAE since 2021.

In view of these allegations, the family has requested the UAE authorities to extend their cooperation and take the necessary legal steps to facilitate the accused's extradition and return so that he can face the law in the jurisdiction where the alleged crimes were committed.

FAMILY SEEKS END TO LONG WAIT

Manjit Singh Virdi, who describes himself as a senior citizen, said he has continued to pursue the case despite his age and health-related difficulties.

"I am a senior citizen suffering from various age and health-related issues. It is my last wish to see justice done in the matter of the murder of my deceased brother," he wrote in the representation. He urged the UAE mission in India to coordinate with the Indian government and take appropriate steps to facilitate Shattaf's extradition "in accordance with law", so that he can be produced before the competent court in India.

The accused, also known as Hussain Mehboob Khokawala, faces the murder case as well as separate cases relating to forgery, criminal breach of trust and obtaining a passport under false details, according to the representation.

The family has also referred to a Look-Out Circular against the accused, which it says was recorded by the Bombay High Court.

For the family, the latest request for documents is another step in a legal battle that has stretched across nearly two decades. With the Supreme Court having restored the trial and the extradition request now under consideration by the UAE, the family is seeking a faster resolution so the accused can be brought before the Indian court.

For Manjit Singh Virdi, the appeal to the UAE is ultimately a plea to end a long wait for justice.

"We request the UAE to help us bring him back and stop our suffering," the family has said in its appeal, urging the authorities to facilitate the process within the framework of law.

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