India approaches S Africa for arrest of Dawood aide

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency has approached South Africa through the ministry of home affairs asking it to provisionally arrest underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s close aide Zahid Miyan Sheikh alias Jao who is wanted in India for hatching conspiracy along with his Pak-based associate Javed Chikna to kill some prominent ‘Hindutva’ leaders.
NIA has provided the address of Jao, who allegedly deals in diamonds and manages Dawood’s illegal businesses in the region, as 23, Malan Road, Korsten, Durban Road, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, asking the authorities there to arrest him.Hailing from Gujarat, Jao is now a South African citizen, said officials.
Sources said the request was sent on Friday under section 12 of the extradition treaty between India and South Africa, according to which South African authorities can provisionally arrest him and keep him in custody till a formal extradition request is sent by NIA. A request to Interpol for a Red Corner Notice has already been sent by the agency.
Jao, officials said, had played was key to the conspiracy to kill leaders of BJP, RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal. As part of the plan, two Gujarat-based Hindutva leaders - former BJP president of Bharuch and senior RSS member Shirish Bangali and Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha general secretary Pragnesh Mistry were shot dead on November 2 last year. Jao and Chikna had made a list of Hindutva leaders who they believed were active during the 2002 Gujarat riots apart from those who are perceived to be anti-Muslim.
TOI had first reported the conspiracy by D-Company. Jao and Chikna had lured youngsters with money and jobs in South Africa in return for targeting Hindutva leaders. Jao coordinated the arrangement of hawala money and prepared the list of targets during online chats with Chikna and others in Pakistan, Dubai, India and other places.