American model Leona Swinderski was allegedly murdered by two men in February 2003
American model Leona Swinderski was allegedly murdered by two men in February 2003
A police team from Thane in Maharashtra has gone to Prague in the Czech Republic to extradite a man from Gujarat in connection with the murder of a model from the United States in February 2003, an official said on Monday.
Notably, the Bombay High Court had issued a non-bailable warrant against US citizen Pranesh Desai and his friend Vipul Patel for failing to appear for a hearing on an appeal challenging their acquittal in the case. are in.
Therefore, an official at the Kashimira police station said that a team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police left for Prague on Saturday to receive Mr. Patel.
A sessions court in Thane had acquitted the two in the 2003 murder case of American model Leona Swindersky (33).
Mr Desai and Swindersky were apparently in a relationship and were about to get married in May 2003.
On February 7, 2003, soon after the two reached the airport in neighboring Mumbai, the model went missing. His body was found the next day on a highway in Kashimira area of Thane district, the official said.
Police then alleged that Desai, with the help of his friend Patel, had claimed a sum of $1 million in insurance to kill the model.
It was then also alleged that Mr Patel had hired two men to hit the model when she boarded a cab at the airport. Later the body was dumped on the highway.
While Mr Desai was arrested from Gujarat’s Vadodara earlier this year, police were looking for Mr Patel, and Interpol had also issued a Red Corner Notice against the latter, the official said.
The police here coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs and Interpol and then left for Prague to nab the accused. He is likely to return later this week, the official said.