Pakistan snatches terror suspect and Chhota Shakeel aide Farooq Devdiwala from India’s grasp

Devdiwala was wanted by Indian agencies for arranging terror training for two Indians in Pak.

Just days after the Malaysian government refused to deport Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, wanted in connection with hate speeches and money-laundering, India has suffered another diplomatic setback.

The United Arab Emirates government has handed over Chhota Shakeel aide Farooq Devdiwala to Pakistan despite Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) seeking his custody for arranging terror training for two Indians in Pakistan.

Deputy Superintendent of Police K K Patel, who is a part of Gujarat’s ATS, on Thursday confirmed that Devdiwala, who is an Indian Mujahideen member, has been deported to Pakistan despite India first raising an Interpol red-corner notice against him. Nobody from the Maharashtra ATS was available for a comment on Devdiwala’s case.

Mumbai Mirror was the first to report Pakistan’s attempts to not let Devdiwala fall in Indian agencies’ hands. Devdiwala is a crucial link as he is known to be in contact with ISI members as well as terror cells in Pakistan. Earlier involved in D-gang operations in Gujarat, he has a lot of information related to Dawood and Chhota Shakeel too.

According to Indian agencies, Devdiwala was also involved in smuggling 2 kg of RDX into Gujarat following the 2002 post-Godhra riots. The explosives were intercepted and seized after the Gujarat police got wind of Devdiwala’s plans to trigger blasts in Surat.

The two Indians Devdiwala had arranged terror training for in Pakistan have been identified as Faizal Mirza, a relative of his, and Allaharakha Munsuri. Both Mirza and Munsuri are currently in Maharashtra ATS’s custody.


Talking exclusively to Mumbai Mirror on Thursday, DSP Patel confirmed that Devdiwala has been handed over to Paksitan. “We tried our best. I visited Dubai to get Devdiwala’s custody. But Pakistan seems to have prevailed with the UAE authorities,” said Patel.

Devdiwala is believed to have fled India in 2003. To establish Devdiwala’s Indian nationality, a team of Gujarat ATS officers travelled to Dubai and provided a dossier with details of his relatives in India, documents pertaining to his proof of residence in Gujarat and Mumbai, as well as education certificates. Incidentally, he was staying in Dubai on a Pakistan passport.

In a similar case, India and Pakistan are currently engaged in a tussle to secure custody of Dawood Ibrahim aide Mudassar Hussain Sayyad alias Munna Jhingada, who has finished serving a jail sentence in Thailand for an attempt on Chhota Rajan’s life in 2001. Mumbai Crime Branch has visited Thailand several times to present evidence that the fugitive gangster is an Indian national. The Thailand court is in its final stages of hearing arguments for his extradition.