Jhingada extradition: Thai court summons city police

Mumbai: The Thailand court, which is hearing India’s extradition plea for fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Munna Jhingada, has summoned Mumbai police next week. A senior crime branch officer confirmed that a team consisting of a deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and a fingerprint expert from Crime Investigation Department (CID) would be appearing before the Thai court.

The Thai court is in the final stages of hearing of the extradition case and has sought for clarity on a few doubts that have come forward during the arguments, crime branch officials claimed.

“Our side has made the arguments before the court where the hearing is in its last leg. The court has summoned the crime branch DCP along with the finger print expert who had deposed before the court,” said a senior crime branch officer.

Pakistan, which is also claiming that Jhingada is their national, had put their arguments before the court and a list of 41 witnesses that was struck down by the judge. The court is weighing India’s plea based on the fingerprints, case documents (FIR) and the papers pertaining to Jhingada’s college leaving certificates.

“He studied in Ismail Yusuf College in Jogeshwari and college leaving certificate has also been produced before the court to strengthen our case,” added another officer.

The case gathered pace in 2014 after the Mumbai police succeeded in collecting DNA samples of Jhingada’s parents and his sister which were produced before the Thailand court. The DNA samples were collected after procuring a formal order from magistrate court in Andheri.  

A tug of war began between India and Pakistan after Jhingada was arrested in 2002 in connection with an unsuccessful attempt on the life of incarcerated gangster Chhota Rajan in September 2000 in Bangkok. The Thai police arrested Jhingada with a Pakistani passport in the name of Mohammad Salim.