In a setback to India's efforts to bring underworld don Anees Ibrahim back home, the Dubai police has said he would not be handed over to any other country until his trial in a murder case is completed.
Anees, who was arrested on December three, is facing charges of murdering a fellow Indian businessman four years ago, sources in the Dubai police told the Gulf News daily.
"If any country has an interest, and evidence of his involvement in another crime, it should wait till the end of his trial in Dubai," the source said indicating that Anees' extradition or deportation may be a long drawn out affair.
"We have strong evidence of his (Anees) involvement in the murder of a fellow businessman whose body was buried in a villa four years ago. The remains were discovered in November when some maintenance work was undertaken in the villa," the source was quoted as saying.
"The family of the victim helped the police by identifying the clothes he was wearing at the time of his disappearance. The clothes and other belongings had been buried with the victim in the villa," the Dubai police told the paper.
Based on forensic reports and other information gathered from the family of the deceased and others, charges were brought forth against Anees, the report said.
Dubai police sources told the paper that Anees was picked up on suspicion but was let off for lack of evidence. He left the UAE after his release.
Meanwhile, senior CBI official A K Gupta and the Indian missions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi continued behind-the-scenes efforts to seek Anees' extradition to India. Gupta refused to comment on the progress of his efforts in the case.
Brother of notorious Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Anees (42) is suspected of being involved in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts. He was arrested in Dubai on December three when he entered Dubai from Pakistan.