New Delhi, July 13: In a diplomatic setback for India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government handed over Chhota Shakeel aide Farooq Devdiwala to Pakistan despite New Delhi's efforts to secure his custody. The Interpol issued a red-corner notice against Farooq Devdiwala on India's request, but the UAE deported him to Pakistan.

Farooq Devdiwala, one of the close aide of fugitive D-gang member Chhota Shakeel, is reportedly known to be in contact with Pakistan's spy agency ISI members as well as terror cells in Pakistan. “We tried our best. I visited Dubai to get Devdiwala’s custody. But Pakistan seems to have prevailed with the UAE authorities,” DSP KK Patel, who is a part of Gujarat’s ATS, told Mumbai Mirror.

While Pakistan approached the Dubai police with claims that Devdiwala is a Pakistani national, the Gujarat ATS provided a dossier with documents like his living proof and education certificates to establish his Indian nationality. Incidentally, he was staying in Dubai on a Pakistan passport. Devdiwala, who was involved in D-gang operations in Gujarat, is believed to have a lot of information related to Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel.

A similar diplomatic struggle has been going between India and Pakistan to secure custody of Dawood Ibrahim aide Mudassar Hussain Sayyad alias Munna Jhingada. He recently finished serving a jail sentence in Thailand for an attempt on Chhota Rajan’s life in 2001. The Thailand court is hearing arguments for his extradition.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 13, 2018 03:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).