A Thailand court on Wednesday ruled that Mudassar Hussain Sayed, alias Munna Jhingada, an alleged aide of gangster Dawood Ibrahim, is an Indian citizen, reported The Indian Express. Both India and Pakistan have attempted to gain Sayed’s custody for the last 18 years, claiming he is a citizen of their countries.

Sayed, alias Jhingada, has been imprisoned in Thailand since 2000 on charges of shooting Ibrahim’s rival Chhota Rajan. Rajan was deported to India in 2015, and is on trial in over 70 cases.

The Mumbai Crime Branch had in 2014-’15 secured a court order to get DNA samples of Jhingada’s parents and sister, which were then profiled and sequenced. These were sent to the Thailand court along with other documents belonging to Jhingada.

Jhingada’s DNA matched with the samples that the Mumbai Crime Branch had sent. “The DNA test was a definite step and that helped get the order in our favour,” an unidentified police officer said. “Convincing the family to undertake the test was an uphill task, as they were not keen on Jhingada returning and facing the law.”

“It [the court order] is the result of sustained efforts by officers and Mumbai Crime Branch officials, excellent coordination between the Mumbai Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in Thailand,” Inspector General KMM Prasanna told The Indian Express.