Last wish to see justice: Merchant navy family urges UAE to expedite Hussain Shattaf extradition

Nearly two decades after the murder of retired Merchant Navy captain Manmohan Singh Virdi, his family has approached the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, seeking its intervention to expedite the extradition of prime accused Hussain Mohammed Shattaf.

The appeal comes days after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the UAE had sought “some more documentation” in response to India’s extradition request and that New Delhi was working to provide the additional material.

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 number 46 of 2006 was registered at Lonavala City Police Station. The matter is now pending before the Sessions Court at Wadgaon Maval, Pune, as Sessions Case number 5 of 2024.

The family says the trial has remained stalled because Shattaf has not appeared before the court and continues to remain outside India. In a 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 representation also raises concerns about Shattaf’s immigration status and alleged criminal record. According to the victim’s family, the passport associated with the accused expired in 2021, and he has been residing in the UAE since then. The family has further referred to an Interpol notice and alleged that Shattaf is wanted in connection with the murder case and other criminal matters.

These allegations have been made by the victim’s family and could not independently be verified from the material available.

For the family, the issue is no longer simply about completing extradition paperwork. It is also about ending what they describe as nearly two decades of uncertainty and suffering. The victim’s brother has appealed to the UAE authorities to assist in bringing Shattaf to India so that the case can proceed before the competent court and reach its legal conclusion.

Supreme Court restored murder trial

The case took a significant turn in 2023 when the Supreme Court restored the murder trial.

In its May 18, 2023 order in Criminal Appeal number 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 that the trial can proceed before the competent 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 additional documents

The extradition process has now moved into a documentation stage.

On August 4, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India’s extradition request had been sent to the UAE and that the UAE side had sought additional documents.

“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,” Jaiswal said.

The latest development has prompted the victim’s family to approach the UAE Mission directly, seeking its cooperation in completing the legal process and expediting Shattaf’s return to India.

Family seeks UAE intervention. According to the representation submitted by the family, Shattaf’s passport has reportedly been expired since 2021. The family further alleges that he is wanted by Interpol in connection with the 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 necessary legal steps, in accordance with applicable law, to facilitate his extradition and return to India.

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

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

‘Last wish to see justice done’

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 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.

For the Virdi family, the latest request for additional documents represents another stage in a legal battle that has stretched across nearly two decades. With the Supreme Court having restored the trial and India’s extradition request now under consideration by the UAE, the family is seeking a faster resolution.

Their appeal 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, urging the authorities to facilitate the process within the framework of law.