India wins against Pak: Thai court orders extradition of Dawood's henchman to India

Munna Jhingra is an alias for Sayyed Muzakkir Muddassar Hussain, who is said to be the right hand of gangster Chhota Shakeel, who is also one of the most wanted criminals of the underworld.

Dawood Ibrahim/ File Photo

New Delhi: A criminal court in Thailand has ruled that an adjutant of India’s most wanted underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s consortium, Munna Jhinra, is an Indian citizen and subsequently ordered his repatriation, making it a major diplomatic win for India over Pakistan.

A criminal court in Thailand has ruled that close associate of Chhota Shakeel, Sayyed Muzakkir Muddassar Hussain alias Munna Jhingra is an Indian citizen and ordered his repatriation back to India. pic.twitter.com/W4m6Teg3uz

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

The proceedings saw a high voltage drama with Jhingra reacting violently and abusing the judge after the announcement of the verdict. The Pakistani embassy official also reacted angrily.

However, Islamabad now has 30 days to file an appeal, failing which India has to repatriate the prisoner within 90 days. 

Munna Jhingra is an alias for Sayyed Muzakkir Muddassar Hussain who is said to be the right hand of gangster Chhota Shakeel, who is also one of the most wanted criminals of the underworld. He is also known as Mohammad Saleem.

Pakistan was pitched against India to get Jhingra extradited to Pakistan claiming that he was a Pakistani citizen, which was strongly contested by India. India then filed a strong extradition claim and the matter went to the Thai court.

Md Saleem alias Munna Jhingra escaped to Bangkok on a fake Pakistani passport and has been in a prison there since September 2000 for plotting to kill Choota Rajan, rival of Dawood Ibrahim.

Jhingra’s Muddassar Nussain had deep links in 1993 Mumbai blast and had the patronage of the ISI, which had been pushing for a reduction in the sentence given to Jhingra through sustained efforts by the Pakistan Embassy, not just through the Thai Foreign Ministry but also through informal channels, ANI reported.

The Pakistan Embassy not only succeeded in obtaining two Royal pardons for Munna Jhingra but also got his jail sentence was reduced considerably twice, once to 34 years and the next time to 18 years.

While India filed strong extradition claim, Jhingra received an amnesty under Thai laws and was to be released in December 2016. But, as the matter was subjudice, he was not extradited.

However, on Wednesday, the court ruled that based on finger print evidence submitted by India, it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that Munna Jhingra is an Indian national.

The court also pulled up Pakistan for submitting concocted evidence.

(Inputs from agencies)