Thailand seeks legal clarification to extradite Shakeel shooter

MUMBAI: The country’s chances of nabbing gangster Chhota Shakeel’s shooter Mudassar alias Munna Jhingada just got a boost as Thailand authorities have sought a last-minute clarification on legal procedures to hand over his custody.
A four-member team of the city crime branch headed by a deputy commissioner of police flew to Bangkok on Monday after being called by Bangkok court to seek some more clarifications on his nationality.This is Mumbai police’s fourth visit to Bangkok in connection with Jhingada’s extradition. “We have convinced Thai authorities that Jhingada is an Indian and is wanted in a few cases. The authorities had sought some more clarification and hence the team has been camping in Bangkok. We hope to be able to complete his extradition process in the next few months,” said a senior police official on the condition of anonymity.
Jhingada was arrested by Thai police on charges of attempting to kill fugitive gangster Chhota Rajan in Bangkok in 2001. Rajan escaped but his aide, Rohit Verma, was killed in the firing. Jhingada, with associates Rashid Malbari and Gurpeet Singh Bullar, was arrested and sent to jail.
India and Pakistan have been fighting for his custody since 2011, when he was released after compleleting a 10-year imprisonment for attempting to kill Chhota Rajan.
Rival Chhota Shakeel, too, had given the authorities some documents, including a passport claiming that Jhingada was a Pakistani national.
Jhingada, a resident of Jogeshwari in Mumbai, is wanted in cases of murder and extortion and the CBI has put out a red corner notice.
The city police had submitted to Thai authorities a huge bunch of documents, ranging from the first information reports (FIR) to his arrest, his photos, and fingerprints and DNA samples collected from his family members in Mumbai.
“We have forwarded evidence, including Jhingada’s birth certificate, family photographs and ration card photocopies through the ministry of external affairs,” said a cop.