New Delhi: The CBI has taken over the investigation into the killing of a man named Rama Lengaw Natesan in the United Arab Emirates allegedly by a fellow Indian over some dispute in 2008, officials said.
The case has been taken over after a request from the UAE government under the extradition treaty between both the countries, they said.
Article 5 of the treaty prohibits extradition of own nationals by requested state, subject to the condition that the requested state shall prosecute the accused under its own law, the officials said.
In accordance with the provision, the UAE government had written to India seeking prosecution of Indre Jeet Singh, who is accused of killing Natesan in 2008 in that country, they said.
It is alleged that the body of Natesan was found in the morning of August 28, 2008 in a farm.
The UAE police discovered during its probe that Natesan used to sell international prepaid phone card.
It surfaced during the probe that Natesan’s phone was being used by Singh who had made a call to one Balwender Singh, it said.
During questioning, Balwender Singh allegedly admitted that during the call Indre Jeet Singh had told him that he had killed Natesan as he was in the need of money, the CBI FIR said.
The UAE police had said that its investigation showed that Indre Jeet Singh’s debt to Natesan had reached a sum of 300 AED, which motivated him to kill Natesan, it said.
The UAE Mission informed the External Affairs Ministry that Singh has been arrested in India without giving details of his arrest.
The court in the UAE had given in absentia death sentence and a blood money penalty of 200000 AED to Singh, the note from the UAE government stated.
The request was forwarded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the External Affairs Ministry for further examination.
“It may be noted that while a less degree of evidence is required for trial and conviction of the accused. Thus before the local prosecution of the accused can be undertaken, the request should be supported by evidence on the basis of which the accused can be tried and convicted beyond reasonable doubt,” the MEA observed.
The ministry said local prosecution of the accused shall take place primarily on the basis of evidence or documents submitted along with the request, or subsequently submitted by the requesting state.
All evidence that may be needed for prosecution of the present case could be submitted by the UAE authorities only, it said.
(PTI)
