Dubai: Coming close on the heels of some criminal wanted by New Delhi allegedly allowed to leave United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai's top police official has said they would handover the criminals under the extradition treaty only when they also get wanted people from India.

"Extradition works two ways. Only when we receive people wanted by our government, can we track down and hand over criminals wanted by the other part," the commander- in-chief of Dubai police major general Dhahi Khalfan Tamim said.

"If you see files at the moment, we have 68 cases of extradition pending with the Indian government. These 68 people are wanted by the UAE police for murder, theft and serious financial crimes. However, due to lack of co-operation by the authorities there, these culprits are not being traced nor brought to book," he said in an interview to 'The Khaleej Times' daily.

"In contrast, there are only four people that the Indian government wants us to hand over. The equation is far from balanced. We need more co-operation on that front. Clearly, we cannot be tracking down criminals for them, when they are shielding ours," Tamim said without specifically mentioning names.

Earlier this month, at least five associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, including his brother Noora were detained by Dubai authorities, but reportedly allowed to flee the port city even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had alerted the Interpol.

The other four were Mohammed Dossa, Ejaj Pathan, Mustafa Majun and Salim Talwar, all accused in the Mumbai blasts case.

Tamim said even if "they (criminals) have committed no crime here, their record is clear and obviously the local police has nothing to hold against them on paper", the warning goes to them that they cannot use Dubai soil to settle old scores.

"However, if we know for certain that he (a criminal) is wanted for a crime in some other country, then he is unconditionally asked to leave the UAE," he said.

On the recent murder of Indian businessman Sharad Shetty, with alleged links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim at the India Club, he said the file was far from closed.

"It is part of an organised criminal network that operates from outside the country," he said adding a list of people under suspicion, whose residential status and connections need to be reviewed immediately has been sent to the UAE Interior Ministry in Abu Dhabi.

He said Shetty's murder was the most serious breach of security in a public place.

"A social club where families and children come to unwind cannot even remotely give refuge to anti-social elements," he said adding "The incident brought many such issues into immediate focus and these cannot be brushed under the carpet to protect anybody's interests."

"Our target is not one community or nationality but the erring party, no matter who they are. Indians have always been a peace loving people and that is what makes them welcome in Dubai."

"But a gradual changing of values in the third generation expatriates has made them increasingly vulnerable to the lure of monetary gains, the means to which are not always legal," he said stressing that in the past few years aggressive business techniques and loan taking pattern have made them susceptible to financial crimes.

PTI