LONDON, Nov 11: In a new twist to the Gulshan Kumar murder case, family members of the slain music baron are now seeking to be arraigned in extradition proceedings of main suspect Safi Nadeem Akhtar, which is to come up for hearing in a court here on November 24.

The family has written to the British Crown Prosecution Office, who is handling the extradition of Nadeem on behalf of Indian authorities, seeking to hire an eminent British lawyer to represent them in the extradition case, as a third party.

The Crown Prosecution Office is now seeking legal advice on whether or not any third party can be arraigned in the extradition proceedings. The move by the family of late Gulshan Kumar comes as the Crown Prosecution Office has given its written opinion to Indian authorities that they had found a ``prime facie case for extradition'' in the evidence placed before them by the Maharashtra Government authorities.

The Crown Prosecution Office has now reportedly finalised the extradition case, which is likely to be forwarded to seek approval of the British Home Secretary, Jack Straw, on November 17, which sources said, was only a formality.

They are now firm on moving the case for extradition of Bollywood music director Nadeem when the case reopens before the Bow Street magistrate on November 24. Meanwhile, the two-member legal team sent by the Maharashtra Government has returned to Mumbai after extensive deliberations with the Crown Prosecution lawyers. The team, according to sources, ``had helped to clear certain loopholes and technicalities'' pointed out by the Crown Prosecution which could have damaged the extradition case.

The team would fly back here before the November 24 deadline set up by the magistrate.

Crown Prosecution authorities had pointed out to the Maharashtra legal team certain technicalities like key witnesses using different aliases of Nadeem while giving their statements and ``these have now been changed to the satisfaction of the British legal requirements,'' the sources said.

The Maharashtra authorities have also moved to re-record the statements of the key witnesses before magistrates and not police office as is prevalent under Indian legal system.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.