3 Indian criminals to be extradited from South Africa

Chandigarh, Jun 5 (UNI) Three dreaded Indian criminals, who had fled to Johannesburg and operated their gang from there, would be flown back to New Delhi tomorrow after being extradited from South Africa.

The Haryana Police worked in tandem with the Ministry of External Affairs and South African police to nab these criminals --Joginder Singh, Surender Kumar and Baljeet Singh-- wanted in murder and extortion charges back home, a police spokesperson said here today.

He said these criminals were arrested in South Africa on February 1, 2007 on the basis of Interpol Red Corner notices and thereafter lodged in the Central Police Station of Johannesburg.

He said Kaithal Senior Superintendent of Police Navdeep Singh Virk had sent a letter to the Provincial Commissioner of South Africa Police Services, Mr Msatshwa Hamilton Ngidi, requesting him to start the extradition proceedings of these three criminals.

Extradition proceedings were instituted in the Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg and the court ordered the surrender of these three fugitives to the Government of India on March 27, 2008, he added.

These criminals would be reaching India with a seven-member team of South African Police and four officers from Haryana Police tomorrow early morning at New Delhi, the spokesperson said.

These accused would face criminal proceedings in India as well as charges of being in South Africa illegally. They had travelled to South Africa on false documentation and passports, he added.

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