Extradition of Uzbek ‘fugitive’ gets nod

FARMONOVA WAS ON HER WAY TO DUBAI VIA MUSCAT BY AN OMAN AIRLINES FLIGHT WHEN THE IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS STOPPED HER

NEW DELHI: A special Delhi court has directed the extradition of an Uzbek fugitive to her homeland to face proceedings in a case of human trafficking there.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur, who presides over the Special Extradition Court of India, directed the Centre to send Khakimova Lola Farmonova back to Uzbekistan, noting that the extradition request was received from the requesting country.

Farmonova was detained at the Goa airport on August 9 on a request of provisional detention by Uzbekistan.

“The prescribed procedure has been followed in as much as the extradition request has been submitted through diplomatic channel, along with documents including the duly authenticated and endorsed court decision containing direction of arrest and required information as per the Extradition Act and concerned extradition treaty,” the court said.

The order of the Uzbek court containing directions for the arrest of Farmonova was submitted by advocate N K Matta on behalf of the external affairs ministry. “In view of the above report, I hereby recommend to Union of India the extradition of the fugitive criminal for the offence of human trafficking...,” the Delhi court said.

The court had in September denied her bail on the ground that the charges against her were serious.

Farmonova had earlier told the court that she was falsely implicated and there was no criminal record against her. She had claimed that her husband was an Indian national and she would abide by all the conditions imposed by the court.

Farmonova was on her way to Dubai via Muscat by an Oman Airlines flight when the immigration officials stopped her as there was a look out circular and a red corner notice against her. She was then handed over to Goa Police.

The woman, who was living in Mumbai, had come to Goa to board the international flight, the police had said.