2006 Lonavala Murder case: Brother of slain Merchant Navy captain pushes for extradition of accused Hussain Shattaf, writes to PM Modi
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "2006 Lonavala Murder case: Brother of slain Merchant Navy captain pushes for extradition of accused Hussain Shattaf, writes to PM Modi")
Hussain Shattaf Photograph: (Interpol)
The brother of a Merchant Navy captain murdered in 2006 has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the extradition of the prime accused from the UAE, nearly two decades after the killing.
New Delhi: The brother of a murdered Indian Merchant Navy captain has appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the extradition of the prime accused, who has been living in the United Arab Emirates for nearly two decades. Retired Captain Manjit Singh Virdi wrote to the prime minister after years of frustration over delays in bringing Hussian Shattaf back to India to face trial for the 2006 killing of his brother, Manmohan Singh Virdi.
Captain Manmohan Singh Virdi was found dead at his bungalow in Lonavala, Maharashtra, on 14 May 2006. Police charged Shattaf, his wife, Waheeda Hussain Shattaf, and another man, Zaanish Khan, with conspiracy to murder. Prosecutors alleged that Waheeda developed a friendship with the victim to facilitate the crime. Shattaf fled India shortly after the murder.
The case, registered as FIR No. 46/2006 at Lonavala City Police Station, has seen multiple twists. The Bombay High Court initially discharged Shattaf and his wife, but India's Supreme Court overturned that decision on 18 May 2023, restoring the murder trial.
In his letter, Captain Manjit Virdi highlighted that the Maharashtra Home Department forwarded an extradition proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs on 31 October 2025. The Ministry of External Affairs has since confirmed that India has formally initiated the extradition process with the UAE.
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Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against Shattaf, and a Look Out Circular was also issued at the request of Maharashtra authorities. Shattaf is believed to be residing in the UAE without valid documents and has been involved in other offences, including passport forgery.
India and the UAE signed an extradition treaty in 1999 that covers serious crimes such as murder, based on the principle of dual criminality. Indian authorities have successfully secured the return of several fugitives from the UAE in recent years.
