Nearly two decades after the murder of retired Merchant Navy captain Manmohan Singh Virdi, his family has approached the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, urging it to intervene and expedite the extradition of prime accused Hussain Mohammed Shattaf to India.
The appeal comes after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that India’s extradition request had been sent to the UAE and that Emirati authorities had sought additional documentation. The Indian government has said it is working to provide the documents.
Retired Captain Manjit Singh Virdi, the victim’s brother and original complainant, has appealed to the UAE mission to coordinate with Indian authorities and the Prime Minister’s Office to facilitate Shattaf’s return so that he can face trial in India.
Murder case pending since 2006
Captain Manmohan Singh Virdi was allegedly murdered 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.
According to the victim’s family, the proceedings have remained stalled because Shattaf has not appeared before the court and remains outside India.
In its representation to the UAE mission, the family said the accused’s prolonged absence had caused “immense hardship” and frustration to the victim’s family and affected the administration of criminal justice.
The family has also raised questions about Shattaf’s immigration status and alleged criminal record. According to the representation, the passport associated with him expired in 2021 and he has remained in the UAE since then.
The family has further claimed that an Interpol notice and other legal proceedings relate to Shattaf. These allegations have been made by the victim’s family and could not independently be verified from the material available for this report.
Shattaf, whom the representation also identifies as Hussain Mehboob Khokawala, is alleged to face separate cases involving forgery, criminal breach of trust and obtaining a passport under false details. The family has also referred to a Look Out Circular, which it says was recorded by the Bombay High Court.
Supreme Court restored murder trial
A significant development came in May 2023, when the Supreme Court restored the murder proceedings against the accused.
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 criminal proceedings.
The family has since continued to press for Shattaf’s return to India, arguing that his presence is necessary for the trial to move forward before the competent court.
The representation also refers to a November 20, 2025 order of the Bombay High Court, 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 reached another documentation stage.
On August 4, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India had sent its extradition request to the UAE and that the UAE authorities 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 development prompted the Virdi family to approach the UAE mission directly, seeking its cooperation in completing the extradition process and facilitating Shattaf’s return to India.
In its representation, the family has urged UAE authorities to take appropriate legal steps, in accordance with applicable law, to facilitate the extradition.
‘My last wish is to see justice done’
For Manjit Singh Virdi, the prolonged legal battle has become deeply personal.
Describing himself as a senior citizen facing age- and health-related difficulties, he said he has continued to pursue the case for nearly two decades.
“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 his representation.
He urged the UAE mission to coordinate with the Indian government and facilitate Shattaf’s extradition so that he can be produced before the competent court in India.
For the Virdi family, the issue now extends beyond extradition paperwork. They say it is about ending nearly 20 years of uncertainty and allowing the judicial process to reach its conclusion.
With the Supreme Court having restored the murder proceedings and India’s extradition request under consideration by the UAE, the family is now seeking faster movement on the request.
Their message to the UAE authorities is ultimately a simple one: help bring the accused back to India so that the trial can proceed and the family can finally see the case reach its legal conclusion.